Colonial Downs and the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective
Association reached an agreement on Monday that would divide the 2005 season
into two meets. The regular season will run 37 days from June 17 through August
6. After that, the track would conduct a three-day meet over the Labor Day
weekend, September 3-5, that would feature a $1.45 million Turf Festival, including a
new race, the $250,000 Colonial Turf Cup.
Colonial Downs also plans to offer a $2 million “Grand Slam of Grass” bonus
to any three-year-old that can sweep a series of four turf stakes, two of which
will be run at the New Kent, Virginia, track. The series would be comprised of
the $500,000 Virginia Derby (G3) at Colonial Downs, either the $400,000
Secretariat S. (G1) at Arlington Park or the $150,000 National Museum of Racing
Hall of Fame H. (G2) at Saratoga, the Colonial Turf Cup and the $2 million
Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Belmont Park.
The plans still need to be approved by the Virginia Racing Commission, which
is expected to address the proposals on February 16.