J. Sargeant Reynolds Jr. – Take Racing to the Finish Line; A Thriving Business
The following appeared in the Richmond Times Dispatch July 31, 2022 as an Opinion article written by former Virginia Racing Commissioner, J. Sargeant Reynolds, Jr.

I remember the morning of Aug. 8, 2019, like it was yesterday. Colonial Downs had been closed for six years and this was the day horse racing returned to the New Kent County track.
None of us were certain what the future would hold for horse racing and breeding, and the state’s many horse farms.… Continue reading
Red Knight Rebounds From 11-Month Layoff to Win the $150,000 Colonial Cup Wednesday in New Kent
Trinity Farm’s Red Knight returned from an 11-month layoff to score his ninth lifetime win Wednesday in the inaugural $150,000 Colonial Cup turf test at Colonial Downs. The stakes attracted a field of eleven that battled 1 1/2 miles over the Secretariat Turf Course and was the first stakes race in Colonial’s history to ever be contested at that distance.
The 8-year-old Pure Prize gelding crossed 1 1/2 lengths the best and pushed his career bankroll to $893,258. The winner… Continue reading
Colonial Downs Cancels Racing on Monday July 25 Due to Predicted High Temperatures & Heat Indexes
(NEW KENT, VA — 7/22/2022) —- The safety of our equine and human athletes is always a top priority at Colonial Downs. With excessive temperatures and heat indexes predicted, live racing on Monday July 25 has been cancelled.
Monday’s featured stakes —- the $150,000 Colonial Cup at 1 1/2 turf miles —- will now be run on Wednesday July 27 as originally drawn.
Live racing resumes on Tuesday July 26 at 1:45 PM.
Friends of the Richmond Mounted Squad to Receive Donation from Virginia Equine Alliance
The Richmond Police Mounted Unit, formed in 1894, is one of the oldest, continuous mounted units in the country. The equine squad has multiple functions which include a daily patrol throughout the entire city of Richmond, crowd control during major events, occasional search/rescue operations, and to build positive community relations.

Due to the mounted officer’s high visibility, they are considered Ambassadors for the City, capable of… Continue reading
Longtime Horsemen Williams, Gregory Still Going Strong at Colonial Downs 25 Years Later
The following appeared at richmond.com on July 10 and was written by Wayne Epps.
Twenty-five years ago, Williams found himself in the winner’s circle on what was a historic day for horse racing in the Commonwealth.
That day, Sept. 1, 1997, was opening day at Colonial Downs, the first-ever day of pari-mutuel racing at the New Kent track. And in the fourth race on the program, a mile-long dash, Williams’ Hagley’s Hero won — garnish on what was already a… Continue reading
Largent, Passion Play Set to Square Off In $125,000 Edward P Evans Stakes Monday at Colonial Downs
(NEW KENT, VA — 7/7/2022) — Reiley McDonald’s Passion Play and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Twin Creeks Racing Stables’ Largent — respective winners of the 2021 and 2020 Edward P. Evans Stakes for Virginia-Bred/Sired horses — will face each other in the ’22 edition Monday July 11 when Colonial Downs presented by Woodford Reserve kicks off its 9-week “More Racing, More Money” meet.

The Evans… Continue reading
Team Valor’s Virginia-Bred Green Up Wins Big In Monmouth’s Boiling Springs Stakes
The following appeared in The Paulick Report July 4. Green Up was bred by Althea Richards and is now an impressive 3-for-3 this year with $118,200 in earnings!
With Paco Lopez riding the lone speed horse in a short field the outcome is fairly predictable.
That was the case in Sunday’s $100,000 Boiling Springs Stakes at Monmouth Park, when Team Valor International’s Green Up was able to coast on the front end through soft fractions and then spurted away when… Continue reading