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Strong Stakes Nominations NEW KENT, VA. (March 2, 2026) — Buoyed by a sell-out crowd for its inaugural running one year ago, the countdown is on to Virginia Derby week at Colonial Downs, set for March 12-14, with a three-day slate of racing, including seven stakes, entertainment and special promotions leading up to Saturday’s marquee stakes program. First post is 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday and noon ET Saturday. Gates open at 10 a.m. ET Saturday. Reserved seating for Saturday is sold out but limited general admission tickets remain available for $5. Fans also can purchase a loaded general admission package ...

*Originally posted on thoroughbreddailynews.com on 2/25/2026, written by J.N. Campbell* Amy Moore of South Gate Farm | Sara Gordon Amy Moore, who owns and operates South Gate Farm in Virginia’s northern Shenandoah Valley, went to $300,000 on Tuesday afternoon to acquire Neom Beach (Omaha Beach) (hip 1) as the topper out of the Fasig-Tipton February Digital sale. The breeder said she is always looking to add to her broodmare band and went online to see what she could unearth. It worked out by the time the ‘shot clock’ wound down. “Fasig-Tipton has a great platform, especially for broodmares and broodmare prospects,” said Moore. “You’re ...

Million-dollar earning Gigante, named 2025 Virginia-Bred Horse of the Year, headlines a slate of award winners whose connections will receive hardware for their efforts Saturday March 14 at Colonial Downs. The trophy presentations will take place on the winner’s circle stage between races during the prestigious Virginia Derby Day card in New Kent.  Gigante, in the Colonial Downs barn area (VEA photo) Gigante, owned by L and N Racing LLC and Clark Brewster, had three wins last year — two on grass and one on dirt — and $241,578 in earnings. The 6-year-old Not This Time horse was also named Virginia-bred Turf Horse ...

New brand, logo, and digital presence mark the start of the biggest year of horse racing in Virginia history; Will debut at Virginia Derby on March 14, 2026 NEW KENT, Va. (February 12, 2025)— Colonial Downs Racetrack today launched a new brand, logo, and digital presence to mark the start of a new era for thoroughbred racing in Virginia. As Virginia’s premier thoroughbred racetrack prepares for the biggest year of racing in its history, this new brand identity represents the excitement, growth, and promise of Virginia’s equine industry while evoking the history and timelessness of Virginia’s oldest sport. The new Colonial Downs ...

The Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center at Virginia Tech is now offering a revolutionary, non-thermal treatment for equine sarcoids and melanomas called High-Frequency Irreversible Electroporation (H-FIRE). This cutting-edge technology uses electrical pulses to target and destroy tumor cells while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue, allowing for safer and more effective chemotherapy absorption. Performed on standing, sedated horses, H-FIRE eliminates the risks of general anesthesia and traditional muscle-twitching side effects, providing a vital new lifesaver for horses with aggressive skin tumors. Click Here for Full Article

*Originally posted on 1/31/25 on www.thoroughbreddailynews.com, written by Stefanie Grimm” Nearly Photo by Lauren King Two turns, zero problems. With racing action largely limited to the far south across the rest of the country, Nearly (Not This Time) gave the frozen East Coast something to cheer about and passed his stretch-out test with authority Saturday, capturing the GIII Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park and picking up 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. A Florida-bred and Virginia-certified son of Not This Time, Nearly built on a lackluster Aqueduct debut in October, coming back less than a month later to destroy fellow Florida-breds at Gulfstream ...

*Originally posted on Paulickreport.com on 1/21/2026 written by Chelsea Hackbart* MTHA Photos The initial redevelopment project called for Shamrock Farm in Woodbine, Md., to be used as a training center, but that plan was abandoned due to “environmental impacts and excessive costs” of construction. Renovation plans for Thoroughbred racing in the state of Maryland have seen a major shift this week with the announcement of a tentative agreement to purchase Laurel Park from The Stronach Group. The state is in the midst of rebuilding the historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, and initial plans had called for Shamrock Farm in Woodbine to be developed ...

When it comes to steeplechase racing, Sean Clancy has pretty much done it all. He was a champion steeplechase jockey, bought horses at sales and put together numerous partnerships for flat and steeplechase horses. He rode Hokan to a 1998 victory in the Grade 1 New York Turf Writers Steeplechase. He competed in over 1,000 jump races, won 152, and his horses bankrolled over $2.9 million in purses from a riding career that extended from 1986 to 2000.  He is also a three-time Eclipse award winning journalist, having written about the sport for decades in both flat and jump publications, including his ...

Virginia’s 2026 racing schedule is set for all host venues and breeds including steeplechase races — which kick off the season slate with a series of weekend Point-to-Point (PTP) meets beginning February 28. The Rappahannock Hunt PTP at The Hill in Boston, Virginia ushers in festivities — the first of seven spring meets slated. Three of the seven are hybrid meets and feature a combination of NSA sanctioned jump races along with traditional PTP events.   Rappahannock’s Point-to-Point meet will kick off the 2026 season on February 28 (Douglas Lees). Following Rappahannock’s kickoff event, the schedule continues with the Warrenton Hunt ...

Colonial Downs racing secretary Dan Bork has released the condition book for its 2026 three-day spring meet which runs from Thursday, March 12 through Saturday, March 14. The meet is highlighted by the $500,000 Virginia Derby and $250,000 Virginia Oaks on March 14, which are points races on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” and “Road to the Kentucky Oaks,” respectively. The Virginia Derby is carded at 1-1/8 miles on the dirt while the Virginia Oaks, also on dirt, will be contested at 1-1/16 miles. Each race offers 50 points to its winner while the next four finishers will receive 25, ...