As the birthplace of American horse racing, Virginia has a long history of producing some of the finest horses and horsemen in the world. The great Secretariat was foaled and raised in Doswell, VA and went on to become a Triple Crown winner and, in the opinion of many, the greatest thoroughbred race horse ever. Spectacular Bid received his early lessons at the Middleburg Training Center and just down the road in Upperville, Paul Mellon raised Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero. The list of talented race horses produced in Virginia goes on and on, but oddly, until it was approved by referendum in 1987, and Colonial Downs opened in 1997, Virginia did not have pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing.
Now in its 12th season, Virginia’s racing and breeding program has achieved an envied national reputation. The credit goes to the stakeholders who have provided unwavering support to racing and breeding in Virginia. They include our fans, thoroughbred horsemen, standard bred horsemen, the owner and managers of Colonial Downs, my fellow racing commissioners, and the dedicated employees of the VRC.
Colonial Downs is the proud owner of a state of the art facility and the best turf course in America, the racing surface for more than 80% of all races run. Unlike most tracks that reserve the use of their turf courses for only the highest level performers, every horse from stakes runner to claimer has the opportunity to run on Colonial Downs' lush and durable grass course during the summer Thoroughbred meet. In the Fall, top level harness horses compete on the one turn mile course at Colonial. In recent years, race fans have seen world records set on this unique track.
Owners of Virginia bred horses now benefit from the highest in the nation 100% bonus Virginia bred program. In 2008, more than one million additional dollars were distributed to owners of Virginia bred horses during our summer race meeting through this program.
There are many reasons to participate in Virginia racing whether you are an owner, breeder, trainer, jockey, driver or just a fan of the sport. Please come visit us and discover why everyone says Virginia is for horse lovers. The 2009 Thoroughbred meet opens on Friday, July 5th, the eve of the Belmont Stakes, and will run five days per week (Friday through Tuesday) until July 28th. Do not miss, on Saturday, July 18th, the Grade II Virginia Derby, show case of the best three year old grass horses in the United States. It will be a spectacular event with 10,000 fans and tons of fun for the entire family.
If you have questions, comments, advice, or concerns please contact me by email at peterb@burnettwilliams.com, by phone at my personal injury law office, Burnett & Williams, in Leesburg at 703 777 1650, or visit www.burnettwilliams.com.
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