Mariela Bailes and William Kenney Jr. finished first and second in Colonial Downs' second handicapping contest of 2004 on July 17 to earn the track's final two qualifying berths to the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas. Bailes and Kenney join William Berkel, the winner of Colonial's first contest on June 26, to complete Colonial's three-person team headed to Las Vegas for NHC VI.

Colonial Downs is the home of the reigning national team champions. In January 2004, Colonial Downs' four-person team of Henry Damgaard, Dave Durkin, Berkley Kern Jr., and John Vitale topped the competition and split $25,000 for winning the team championship at NHC V.