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03-17-2018, 11:01 PM
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#46
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 249
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Sounds like Colonial almost scored Bill Nader as their CEO, but alas, he went back to Hong Kong for the best racing on the planet.
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03-17-2018, 11:22 PM
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#47
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 7,510
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ctownraces@bp
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I do not see a date for the article in the link.
When was this published?
The reopening of Colonial for live racing would be great.
I used to go there for the VA Derby. It was a beautiful facility. Clean. Nice people. No degenerates.
And it's just 5 hours from my home.
Hopefully these hurdles can be negotiated and CNL can reopen.
Niw, you mentioned the 4th OTB opening.
I see nothing in the article mentioning this. Do you have a link to that info?
This>>>>>> https://www.virginiahorseracing.com/locationhours/
Last edited by thespaah; 03-17-2018 at 11:33 PM.
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03-17-2018, 11:36 PM
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#48
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 7,510
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I'm confused.
When the horsemen and the owner of Cnl had their battle, the OTB's in the state shut down because the horsemen had some sort of clout to do so.
That's all I know.
Since the end of Thoroughbred racing in VA, the OTB's have not operated.
The locations. Vinton( Near Roanoke) Ridgway( Near Martinsville) Alberta( on the border with NC off I-85. A couple in the Richmond area and one in Chesepeake. Had all closed.
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03-19-2018, 10:04 AM
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#49
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 602
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thespaah
I'm confused.
When the horsemen and the owner of Cnl had their battle, the OTB's in the state shut down because the horsemen had some sort of clout to do so.
That's all I know.
Since the end of Thoroughbred racing in VA, the OTB's have not operated.
The locations. Vinton( Near Roanoke) Ridgway( Near Martinsville) Alberta( on the border with NC off I-85. A couple in the Richmond area and one in Chesepeake. Had all closed.
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All "Colonial Downs" Otb's closed at that time. A new group was formed shortly after called Virginia Equine Alliance. Otb's starting opening back up the first one less than 3 miles from my work in Richmond. ( in different locations, the old Colonial Downs Broad Street Otb has been demolished with a grocery store being built )
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03-22-2018, 02:52 AM
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#50
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: va
Posts: 4,944
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03-22-2018, 03:02 AM
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#51
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: va
Posts: 4,944
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Si2see
All "Colonial Downs" Otb's closed at that time. A new group was formed shortly after called Virginia Equine Alliance. Otb's starting opening back up the first one less than 3 miles from my work in Richmond. ( in different locations, the old Colonial Downs Broad Street Otb has been demolished with a grocery store being built )
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I live same distance from old Vinton otb and old Martinsville otb both are still standing but both are still vacant. The new otb/sportsbar in Collinsville is in old Dutch inn was an old club/motel. They did a nice job with the renovations. Its a nice little otb and bar but it will be a madhouse on the big race days with only 10 betting machines and a couple of greenhorns taking wagers but im glad its open
Last edited by ctownraces@bp; 03-22-2018 at 03:03 AM.
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03-22-2018, 10:59 AM
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#52
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 602
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ctownraces@bp
I live same distance from old Vinton otb and old Martinsville otb both are still standing but both are still vacant. The new otb/sportsbar in Collinsville is in old Dutch inn was an old club/motel. They did a nice job with the renovations. Its a nice little otb and bar but it will be a madhouse on the big race days with only 10 betting machines and a couple of greenhorns taking wagers but im glad its open
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That's good news. I am glad we have options in this state now ( the breakers otb on broad st in Richmond is one of the SMOKIEST places I have been in my life, about 10 times worse than any Vegas sportsbook ) but like you said at least it's open to play live cash wagers and not be limited to online adw's.
However I will only be satisfied if we get the live racing back. I am fearful that the only option will be a Ky Downs style Boutique meet even if we do get the instant racing money added for purses, the fact of the matter is when Jacobs turned in their racing license they also forfeited the racing dates which Laurel was quick to scoop up ( and who can blame them )
Jason
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03-23-2018, 11:21 AM
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#53
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 379
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Excellent news!
Haven’t visited any family in Virginia since Colonial Downs close down.
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03-25-2018, 11:11 AM
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#54
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Lakehurst, NJ
Posts: 1,035
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It would be a tragedy if Colonial Downs gets torn down, the way too many tracks have recently.
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04-27-2018, 02:01 AM
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#55
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: va
Posts: 4,944
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04-27-2018, 06:52 PM
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#56
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Beaverdam Virginia
Posts: 12,805
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Is live racing coming back? Reading the articles and trying to figure out what end is up is making my head explode. I keep reading about "Historical Horse Racing Machines" which is nothing new or exciting. They had similar machines, if they are what I think they are in Las Vegas in the early 80's. They used QH races from Los Alamitos. They showed a post parade and a program with just the horse number and odds, no information, it is just guessing unless they used an unusual looking horse you recognized.
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07-11-2019, 02:09 PM
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#57
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Buckle Up
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 10,614
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It's Back! Live Racing Starts August 8th at Colonial Downs
After a six-year hiatus, Colonial Downs announced a re-opening for late summer 2019. The 15-day race schedule is highlighted by the return of the Grade 3 Virginia Derby, Colonial Downs' showcase event. The turf race for 3-year-olds has been won in past years by some of the top grass horses of the 21st century, including champions Kitten's Joy, English Channel, and Gio Ponti.
https://www.colonialdowns.com/racing-news/
Colonial Downs officials today announced that veteran race caller Jason Beem will be the official track announcer for the 2019 Colonial Downs meeting, August 8 – September 7.
https://www.colonialdowns.com/coloni...-2019-meeting/
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07-14-2019, 05:08 PM
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#58
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 602
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After the turf course "burn" it is growing in beautifully. For anyone with too much time on their hands and that love Virginia racing the condition book has been out for a few weeks. More importantly for my sake, Darrell Wood was quick to act in getting the NHC handicapping contest back to colonial on the last Saturday of the meet.
For anyone planning to attend I will be there EVERY race day , with the possible exception of the Laurel contest which is Saturday August 17th, however if I bust out early I could make a late appearance at colonial that night as well but let's hope that isn't the case.
Anyone that wants to meet up feel free to reach out to me. Colonial has free admission, cheap reserved seating ( although that doesn't fit my routine ).
I also hope to have some hot tips during the meet although taken with a grain of salt ( will more than likely come from trainers or grooms instead of in the past when it came straight from the jockey's mouth )
Hope to see many of you out there.
Jason
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07-14-2019, 05:12 PM
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#59
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: GA
Posts: 2,860
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Si2see
After the turf course "burn" it is growing in beautifully. For anyone with too much time on their hands and that love Virginia racing the condition book has been out for a few weeks. More importantly for my sake, Darrell Wood was quick to act in getting the NHC handicapping contest back to colonial on the last Saturday of the meet.
For anyone planning to attend I will be there EVERY race day , with the possible exception of the Laurel contest which is Saturday August 17th, however if I bust out early I could make a late appearance at colonial that night as well but let's hope that isn't the case.
Anyone that wants to meet up feel free to reach out to me. Colonial has free admission, cheap reserved seating ( although that doesn't fit my routine ).
I also hope to have some hot tips during the meet although taken with a grain of salt ( will more than likely come from trainers or grooms instead of in the past when it came straight from the jockey's mouth )
Hope to see many of you out there.
Jason
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Hi Jason,
I qualified there 2 different times when they had the contest. Unfortunately, I no longer live in the area. Best of luck there.
Jim
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07-14-2019, 06:15 PM
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#60
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 602
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JimG
Hi Jason,
I qualified there 2 different times when they had the contest. Unfortunately, I no longer live in the area. Best of luck there.
Jim
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Thanks Jim !
For anyone who doesn't know me or my story, to try to keep it within a minimum read here..... I started playing contests the year after that colonial closed down. Some people at colonial and tons of people at the Richmond otb's knew me as a young hot handicapper, but that was partially due to the fact that I started a partnership where we bought a couple horses down in Florida ( I was 19 at the time ) , and all of that was thanks to this forum, that is where I met our trainer and long time friend Tom Schell. When the economy crashed it became more difficult for all of us to own horses but we hung in there for a while.
When Colonial shut down we were on our last few horses, and I needed something to do. That is when I found contests, on some of the online sites Horsetourneys in particular. I literally qualified for the World series one of the first times I tried a couple weeks before the contest. At this time the Horseplayers show was on esquire so I learned some then, but a lot of my learning came from trial and error. I knew I could handicap with anyone on any given day, I just couldn't do it every day. After that first World series I qualified/went to vegas 13 more times over the next 4 years. HOWEVER none of which was ever the Nhc. I had some really good tournaments, finished 5th once with a chance for the win going into the last race, however none of these were NHC events ( all were Boyd ). I just started really trying to qualify for it 2 years ago, but years I was close even on points but just missing that one good one to get me there. A lot of it was because I skip months at a time, a lot of it was due to bad luck ( we all have those stories ), and a few times I was so close ( which once again we have all been there ).
I took a break from contests most of last year, the traveling was catching up to me and I actually ended up making a major career change earlier this year. I am now in a place where I really feel like I can start firing away again, however I am about to go to Saratoga for the first time in two weeks, and the week after Colonial starts back up. So I might put my Kryptonite ( the NHC ) on hold until the winter and try once again to make a last second hailmary, but I always figured once I get there I will probably win it outright as it has been one of the hardest things I have ever tried for.
Jason
Last edited by Si2see; 07-14-2019 at 06:17 PM.
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