Colonial Downs applies for one-day racing meet

Colonial Downs in Virginia has filed an application with the state racing commission to conduct one day of all-turf racing Dec. 3, but the president of the state’s recognized horsemen’s group has called the filing a “sham.”

The application calls for eight turf races to be run Dec. 3, when temperatures in that area of Virginia are in the mid-50s on average, according to National Weather Service data. The application states that Colonial has reached an agreement to conduct the one-day meet with the Old Dominion Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, which has not been recognized by state regulators.

Frank Petramalo, the executive director of the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, said the horsemen’s group believes the application was filed with the commission to protect the track’s right to operate offtrack betting parlors in the state. Earlier this year, the legislature modified the state’s offtrack betting law to state that the rights to offtrack betting would be assigned to a coalition of the state’s horsemen and breeders if Colonial did not file an application for live racing by Aug. 1. The application was filed July 29.

“In my opinion, this is simply an attempt to cut off the Virginia Equine Alliance’s right to operate Virginia offtrack betting parlors,” Petramalo said.

At a meeting in July, the state racing commission officially recognized the VHBPA as the state’s horsemen’s representative. Under the Interstate Horseracing Act, tracks must have an agreement with the official horsemen’s group in order to conduct simulcasting. No one claiming to represent the Old Dominion Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association showed up at the meeting.

Colonial Downs has not run a live race since 2013. The track and the VHBPA could not agree on racing dates for 2014, and the track surrendered its license at the end of the year.

An ODTHA “interest form” is posted on the Colonial Downs website. The form claims that the signer intends to run a horse at the track Dec. 3. In addition, the form states that the signer will receive a payment of $2,000 if the races are not run.