Colonial Downs is Virginia’s only pari-mutuel horse racetrack, and it’s located in New Kent County at Exit 214 off I-64. The track features a summer thoroughbred racing season, a fall harness racing season, and an ever growing year-round slate of special events.

Eighty percent of the summer thoroughbred races are held over the Secretariat Turf Course, which at 180 feet wide, is the widest grass surface of any track in North America. The 1¼ mile dirt track is the country’s second largest, next to Belmont’s. The large dirt track enables harness horses to pace or trot a one mile distance while encountering just one turn, the only track anywhere to offer this unique configuration.

The Virginia Derby is Colonial’s annual showcase event. The 2011 Virginia Derby is held July 16, the $600,000 Grade II event draws over 9,000 fans to the New Kent oval. Thoroughbred racing’s top three year old turf horses, along with the sport’s top jockeys and trainers compete 1¼ miles in the Virginia Derby. The $500,000 Grade II Colonial Turf Cup, a Derby prep race of sorts, is held on June 18, 2011.

Summer racing is held on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from June 8 – July 31, 2011. Races begin at 5 PM during the week and Saturday, 1 PM on Sunday. A two-day “Racing to the Stars & Stripes” Festival is held on the 2nd and 3rd of July featuring horse racing, a patriotic concert and fireworks with racing starting at 5 PM on July 2nd and 3rd.

Fall harness races begin in September 17 and continue through November 5. Opening weekend festivities coincide with the New Kent County Fair, which also is held at Colonial Downs.

In mid-October, the country’s top trotters are invited to Colonial Downs to compete in the $40,000 Patriot Invitational and several weeks later, top Virginia-bred pacers and trotters compete in the annual $350,000 (est.) “Day of Champions” event.

Can’t make it to the track?

Colonial Downs has ten Off Track Betting (OTB) Centers in Virginia where fans can watch and wager live horse races year-round via satellite from around the country. Three OTBs are in Richmond (Our newest located inside Finn McCool's at the Innsbrook Shoppes), two are in Hampton Roads, another is in Alberta (45 minutes south of Petersburg on I-85), and three are in southwest Virginia — in Vinton, Martinsville and Scott County.

Source: http://www.colonialdowns.com

Richmond Raceway Complex is a sprawling, 1000- acre, multi-purpose facility that is home to Richmond International Raceway and one of the most versatile special events sites in the country. It has six permanent buildings with more than 160,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space.

Our meeting facilities consist of five newly redesigned meeting rooms available for corporate retreats, catered affairs, receptions and other social events.  The Old Dominion Building is our newly remodeled 36,000 sq. ft. catering facility that can comfortably accommodate up to 1,500 people for a wide variety of events including wedding receptions and holiday parties. In addition, the Complex has three outdoor areas that can host anything from a small corporate picnic to a large outdoor festival.  The Horticulture Garden is a beautifully landscaped indoor/outdoor facility that can accommodate up to 1,000 people for corporate receptions and weddings. The facility also has a state of the art amphitheater with fixed seating and lawn that can accommodate 8,000 people as well as a 1,000 seat covered dirt arena.

One of the most unique special events venues in the Greater Richmond region is the Torque Club at the Richmond International Raceway, overlooking the racetrack. Seating for 300 with a view of the track makes the perfect corporate or social event setting. With drop down Audio Visual screens and themed bars the Torque Club can accommodate your seminar or reception.  Richmond Raceway Complex also offers free parking for show and event guests as well as an on-site catering service provided by Americrown.