Colonial stakes boosted by $850K in 2022

Colonial Downs will host 24 stakes races worth about $3.5 million during its 27-day 2022 racing season, the Virigina racino announced Wednesday.

This year’s stakes schedule is worth $850,000 more than the stakes races run during the 2021 racing season. The meet highlight is the $300,000 Virginia Derby on Sept. 6. Twenty of the meet’s stakes races will be contested on turf, a fixture of the Colonial program.

Colonial held a 21-day 2021 season but added six days for 2022. Average daily purses are expected to rise from $522,000 in 2021 to $600,000 this year. Racing is conducted Monday through Wednesday.

Churchill Downs Inc. in February reached an agreement to purchase Colonial and its casino network, which is called Rosie’s.