Colonial Downs sets mark for average daily handle
Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., had a track record average daily handle of $2.23 million during its recently completed 21-day meet, the track said.
Handle comparisons to previous meets are complicated because Colonial ran only four cards last year before canceling the remainder of its meet due to coronavirus concerns. In 2019, Colonial Downs ran 15 days on a different weekly schedule and averaged $1.17 million in daily handle, nearly half the 2021 average.
Colonial said that average field size for the meet was 8.36 horses per race. Of the 205 races conducted during the meet, 148 were run over the track’s turf course, with an average field size of 8.85 horses per grass race.
The track distributed $10.4 million in total purses. Purses at Colonial are heavily subsidized by gambling devices at the track and at off-track betting parlors operated by its owner, which reopened the track in 2019 after getting legislative authorization to operate the devices.
Colonial ran on a Monday through Wednesday schedule this year, for seven straight weeks. The track said in a release that it anticipates asking the state racing commission for permission to run more live racing dates next year.
“It is so gratifying to see the continued revival of Virginia racing as we mark new all-time handle heights,” said John Marshall, the vice president of operations for the track. “We have held true to our promise of building Colonial Downs into one of the country’s elite boutique meets.”