by Darrell Wood, publicity director, Colonial Downs

New Kent, VA — Colonial Downs will wrap up its 2010 live racing season this Saturday (Nov. 6) when the New Kent track hosts its annual $300,000 Virginia Breeders Day of Champions harness card.

Eight championship divisional races will be contested featuring both 2- and 3-year-old pacers and trotters of both sexes. A marathon 14 race card will begin at 1 p.m. and an additional four non-betting races will occur before the pari-mutuel card even begins. Thoroughbred racing’s Breeders’ Cup championships will also be available via simulcast between and after the track’s live harness races. A unique horse drawn carriage parade will also be held on the track at 1:05 p.m., immediately after the first pari-mutuel harness race.

Fran Raia’s entry of Rick’s Luck and Rick’s Jackpot is favored in the featured $38,500 Virginia Breeders 3-year-old colt/gelding pace. Leading driver Corey Braden, who guided the former to a 1:53.3 victory in last weekend’s prep race, will be back in the sulky Saturday. Raia’s entry is the 8-5 early favorite while prep runner-up Tidewater Teddy is second choice at 5-2.

Itrustyou is favored in the 2-year-old colt/gelding pace, based on a tough come from behind win in last weekend’s freshman prep. Dean Collins, a three-time leading conditioner at Colonial, trains and drives the Third Straight gelding. Itrustyou was pacing fifth last week at the three-quarter marker when he went off stride, but Collins got his pacer back on gait quick enough to rally for a half-length win over Fast Heat in 1:55.3.

Jane Dunavant’s Apparition is slightly favored over BL Conway’s Blueridge Empire in the sophomore colt/gelding trot. Reinsman Chris Page directed Apparition to his third win of the year in last Sunday’s prep (1:56.3) while Chuck Perry guided the latter to a second place finish.

In the remaining two pari-mutuel Breeders races, Renfrow Hauser’s entry of Lukin At Me Kid and Found In The Mist is favored at 9-5 against five other foes in the 2-year-old male trot while Mark Gray’s Celtic Girl has top early honors in the freshman filly trot.

Three of the Breeders races with smaller fields will be part of the early non-betting card. Prep winners Luring Helen (3-year-old filly trot), Tidewater Lilpaige (3-year-old filly pace) and Twincreeks Jazz (2-year-old filly pace) will try to reach the winner’s circle again with larger purses on the line in the finals.

Doors open Saturday at 12 Noon. Both the Jockey Club and Turf Club dining rooms will be open all afternoon and will remain open through the last Breeders’ Cup race. For dining reservations, call 804.966.7223, ext. 1032.