Colonial Downs Racetrack sets $2.88M daily bets record

Colonial Downs Racetrack broke records again in its racing season, with bettors waging more than $6.5 million on New Kent County Virginia Derby Day earlier this month, Colonial Downs Race Group announced this week.

The total amount bet on races during the 26-day racing season was $74.9 million and a daily average of $2.88 million, up more than 29% from the average daily of $2.23 million in 2021. The season marked an all-time wagering high in the history of Colonial Downs, according to a news release. Colonial Downs paid out $15.9 million in purses for the season and the average daily purse was $612,000, setting a Virginia record. The program had 1,382 horses representing 321 trainers for a combined 2,179 starts for the season.

“Virginia racing is stronger than ever,” John Marshall, Colonial Downs Group executive vice president of operations, said in a statement. “It is gratifying to see Colonial Downs evolve into one of the nation’s elite destinations for thoroughbred racing. We congratulate all of those who worked so hard to place Virginia racing in such an admirable position.”

Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent County hosts live thoroughbred racing on the 180-foot-wide Secretariat Turf Course and on a 1.25-mile dirt track.

Colonial Downs Group is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E), which also owns six Rosie’s Gaming Emporium locations statewide. It has more than 1,000 employees in Virginia. Churchill Downs Inc., which is known for the Kentucky Derby, entered into an agreement to acquire P2E for $2.485 billion in February.