Colonial Downs' 45-day summer meet will host 17 stakes worth $2.52 million, it announced Feb. 27.
Colonial’s 2008 meet runs from June 9-Aug. 6.
The $750,000 Virginia Derby (gr. IIT) and $600,000 Colonial Turf Cup (gr. IIIT), the first two legs of the $5-million Jacobs Investments Grand Slam of Grass, are the traditional twin highlights.
Several stakes will take place on the same days as the June 21 Colonial Turf Cup and the July 19 Virginia Derby. The $200,000 All Along Breeders’ Cup Stakes (gr. IIIT) and the $60,000 Buckland Stakes will run June 21 and the $200,000 Virginia Oaks (gr. IIIT) and the $60,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes July 19.
The Grand Slam is a four-race series for turf horses beginning with the Colonial Turf Cup followed by the Virginia Derby, both at Colonial Downs. Jacobs Investments offers a multi-million-dollar bonus that would bring total earnings in the series to $5 million for any horse who can sweep the four races. The series concludes with the $400,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) Aug. 9 at Arlington Park and the $3-million Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT) Oct. 25 at Santa Anita.
The Virginia Derby will be broadcast live on CBS from 5-6 p.m. E.D.T.
Colonial Downs' 2008 summer meet will host 17 stakes worth $2.52 million
