Colonial Downs Racetrack Guide
Colonial Downs racetrack is situated in New Kent County, Virginia. The track opened in September 1997 and hosted thoroughbred race meetings and harness racing until it was temporarily closed in 2014.
Due to a change in Virginia state licensing laws allowing off-track betting facilities, Colonial Downs was reopened under new ownership in 2018 and has hosted thoroughbred racing again since 2019. The track was acquired by the Churchill Downs group in 2022.
Colonial Downs has two surfaces. The turf circuit is the widest in North America, which is a big plus in attracting runners to Colonial, as turf tracks in the USA are generally inside the dirt circuit and are very tight with sharp, narrow turns, which do not suit all horses.
Race distances range from 5 furlongs up to 18 furlongs on the turf track, whilst the dirt track at Colonial Downs is the second largest in the USA, and race distances range from 5 furlongs up to 12 furlongs.
Colonial Downs stages summer race meets on Monday to Wednesday from mid-July through to September, so expect to see free Colonial Downs picks during these periods.
Handicappers can check the Colonial Downs fixture schedule for exact race dates on the official website and can look forward to checking out the best free daily Colonial Downs selections on these days.
Check our Best Bookmakers For Live Streaming Guide to see where you can also watch the racing live after placing your Colonial Downs wagers.
Colonial Downs Racecourse Map
Colonial Downs Address: 10515 Colonial Downs Pkwy, New Kent, VA 23124, United States
Colonial Downs Phone Number: 1 804 966 7223
How to use the Colonial Downs Betting Tips
Here you will find today's best Colonial Downs picks from OLBG's knowledgeable racing tipsters. As mentioned above, Colonial's race days get underway in mid-July and run through to September, with the highlight being the $250k Grade III Virginia Derby run in late August.
Throughout these summer months, our handicapper selections will be available for race days as listed.
The most popular pick is listed for each race at Colonial Downs, along with the current odds, the number of picks received and the total number of race tips placed. The % of picks for the selection shows the level of confidence from handicappers.
A strong consensus of expert tipsters on the same pick may indicate a nice wager if the 'value rating' is highlighted (1 to 5 stars).
The value ratings are formulated using the total number of race tips, the number of picks for the selection, the current odds, and the theoretical chances of winning.
To view all Colonial Downs picks, tap on either the race number or the selection highlighted, and you can check out all the race predictions.
The race pages show additional information, including the number of each-way tips, any 'NAP' predictions, which are a tipster's selected best pick for today, plus tip analysis added by the tipster.
Here you can also view the tipster's performance stats showing the past seven days' profit figure to 10-point stakes, the past month and the annual figure.
Also included is the tipster's annual strike rate, which, along with the rest of their stats, shows the relevant info required to form an opinion of overall success and consistency before potentially placing your wager.
When there are no Colonial Downs picks listed, you can check out the 'Horse Racing Tips' page for today's best free picks from other tracks.
Placing a wager on the Colonial Downs Racing Picks
Clicking on the 'Add To Betslip' option next to each selection is a quick and easy way to bet without the need to navigate away from your OLBG viewing.
When you like a Colonial Downs pick to bet on, tap the 'Add to Betslip' button and your selection is added to your betslip and safely stored until you want to finalise your bet.
If you wish to add multiple selections for an Acca, just repeat the process until you are happy with the number of selections on your betslip. Also, you may wish to include today's best free picks from our best-performing handicappers on our Best Horse Racing Tipsters page.
When you have finalised your number of selections, check out the odds comparison table at the top of the page to see which bookie is offering the best payout odds if your bet is successful.
Before selecting your preferred bookie, take a look at our Best Bookmaker For Horse Racing Guide to view the latest sign-up offers and promotions, which may enhance your US racing needs.
Finally, click on your bookie preference, and you will be transferred to their site with your betslip selections already filled without the need to find and add them again. You just need to complete your stake, and best of luck with your picks!
If you miss the action live or want to check the results for any past wagers, then you can head over to the Colonial Downs Results page.
Colonial Downs Notable Races
Colonial Downs's most prestigious race is the Grade III Virginia Derby usually runs towards the end of August.
The Virginia Derby, previously known as the Commonwealth Derby, carries a purse of $250,000 and is for three-year-olds only on turf over 9 furlongs (a mile and 1/8).
Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Graham Motion won the Virginia Derby in 2017 with Just Howard and in 2021 with Wootton Asset.
Other valuable races staged at Colonial Downs include the Colonial Cup Stakes run in late July, which carries a $150,000 purse for three-year-olds and upwards on the turf over 12 furlongs and the Overnight Housebuster Handicap run in early August with a $100,000 purse for three-year-olds over seven furlongs on the dirt.
Here's a list of notable Stakes races at Colonial Downs:
- Virginia Derby
- The Colonial Cup Stakes
- Housebuster Overnight Handicap
Colonial Downs Top Trainers
Here are the leading trainers based on the number of wins in 2025:
| Trainer | Runners | Winners | Wins % | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trombetta, Michael J | 131 | 31 | 24% | $2.1m |
| Russell, Brittany T | 113 | 26 | 23% | $1.4m |
| McPeek, Kenneth G | 57 | 13 | 23% | $787k |
| Ness, Jamie | 63 | 12 | 19% | $734k |
| Casse, Mark E | 70 | 11 | 16% | $696k |
| Stidham, Michael | 43 | 11 | 26% | $442k |
| Munoz, Carlos | 92 | 9 | 10% | $513k |
| Bailes, W Robert | 44 | 9 | 20% | $531k |
| Desormeaux, J Keith | 48 | 8 | 17% | $737k |
| Duarte, Jr Jorge | 34 | 7 | 21% | $478k |
Colonial Downs Top Jockeys
Here are the leading jockeys based on the number of wins in 2025:
| Jockey | Rides | Winners | Wins % | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lopez, Paco | 183 | 46 | 25% | $2.2m |
| Curtis, Ben | 159 | 33 | 21% | $2.3m |
| Sanchez, Mychel J | 199 | 29 | 15% | $2.2m |
| Russell, Sheldon | 118 | 25 | 21% | $1.4m |
| Ruiz, Jorge | 134 | 22 | 16% | $1.4m |
| Toledo, Jevian | 138 | 20 | 14% | $1.2m |
| Centeno, Daniel | 138 | 16 | 12% | $1.1m |
| Concepcion, Axel | 99 | 15 | 15% | $821k |
| Karamanos, Horacio | 127 | 14 | 11% | $948k |
| Esquivel, Emmanuel | 68 | 13 | 19% | $721k |
With a huge combined experience of horse racing between them, this content has been created and is maintained by Darren Brett, James Banting and Andy Powell. All of the data for Colonial Downs Racetrack, which includes the trainer and jockey statistics, has been created using statistics available from the RacingPost.
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
James Banting
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Andy Powell
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