by Darrell Wood, publicity director, Colonial Downs

New Kent, VA — Colonial Downs, which features the country’s only one-turn mile racetrack, will return to action on September 8 with an eight week, 36-day harness racing season.

The 12th annual meet will continue through November 7, with racing scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday at 5 p.m., and Sunday afternoons at 1 p.m.

Highlight of the fall season is the annual $350,000 (est.) Virginia Harness “Day of Champions,” slated for November 7 in conjunction with the Breeders’ Cup simulcast. Matinee post time on that day is 1:00 p.m. and a special 1:00 p.m. card will also be presented on Friday, November 6, again in conjunction with the first day of the ’09 Breeders’ Cup.

The “Day of Champions” is the richest annual harness racing event in Virginia. It features eight championship races where Virginia-bred freshman and sophomore pacers and trotters of both sexes square off. The 2-year-old eliminations will be held on October 28 and 3-year-old eliminations will go on October 31.

The barn area will open on Sunday, August 27, and the track will open for training the next morning. The first two qualifying days are Tuesday, September 1, at 10 a.m. and Saturday, September 5, at 8 a.m. Once racing starts, qualifiers will be held Saturdays at 11 a.m. Stall applications are available on-line at www.colonialdowns.com.

Racing Secretary Craig Andow has put together another ambitious slate of 12 late closer series, including five that will start on opening week. The New Kent County, Todd Parker Memorial, Hal Belote Memorial, Emergency Squads of Virginia and a Fillies & Mares series all will have their first leg bow between September 8-13.

The first Sunday card, on September 13, will feature a pair of steeplechase races mixed in with the regular harness card for the second straight year. The pair will be contested over Colonial’s Secretariat Turf Course at approximately a two-plus mile distance.

For more racing information, contact Racing Secretary Craig Andow at Ocean Downs (410.641.0600, ext. 211) until August 22 and at Colonial Downs after August 24 at 1.888.482.8722, ext. 1056. All other horsemen’s info can be found at www.colonialdowns.com.