Colonial Downs approved for longest meet in track's history

The Virginia Racing Commission has approved 48 days of live racing at Colonial Downs in 2026, the most expansive season in the track’s history. After a special three-day meet in March, Colonial will operate four days per week from Thursday, June 25, to Monday, Sept. 7.

Since reopening for Thoroughbred racing in 2019, Colonial has developed a strong reputation in the Mid-Atlantic region, most notably for its turf racing in the summer months. In 44 days of racing in 2025, the track offered 31 stakes races and $27.4 million in total purse money, bringing in $101 million in wagering handle, including a one-day record of $10.46 million on Arlington Million Day.

Colonial hosted its first prep for the Kentucky Derby, the Virginia Derby, in 2025. Traditionally a turf stakes in September, it was repurposed as a $500,000 dirt race for 3-year-olds in March. The 2026 edition of the race will be run on Saturday, March 14.

After running races from Wednesday to Saturday most weeks in 2025, the track will shift to a Thursday-Sunday schedule “to make live racing more accessible to Virginia race fans and families, according to a Colonial press release.

Colonial’s 45-day summer season will be highlighted by the Colonial Downs Festival of Racing, typically held in early August and headlined the Grade 1 Arlington Million. Among the meet’s other big race days, the Old Dominion Derby will be run for the second time under its new name.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.