Colonial Downs in New Kent, Virginia will once again play host to the Colonial Turf Cup, on Saturday, 19th June. Like the Kentucky Derby, this event does not have the allure of a race; it is quickly becoming an important race. The purse is at $750,000 for this year’s race. It is the first race in the “Grand Slam of Grass,” which encompasses four races; it is also unique in a way. Any horse that is able to win all four races wins a bonus of $5 million.
In 2005, the first Colonial Turf Cup was held. The race was upgraded from a Grade III race to a Grade II, last year. The race distance is 9.5 furlongs, which is equal to 1 and 3/16 of a mile.
There are several notable entries, while there are only seven horses in the Colonial Turf Cup this year. horse racing favorites, Dean’s Kitten and Paddy O’Prado are entered for the race Saturday and both ran in the Kentucky Derby. While these two horses have the name recognition, one of the biggest sleepers in the field is Kindergarten Kid, who has a record of 3-2 but has recently impressed
Anyone who enjoys horse racing should tune in to the Colonial Turf Cup this weekend, despite the lack of name recognition. The “Grand Slam of Grass” is still important and a $5 million bonus is a huge incentive for every jockey and owner entered, although it may not have the same allure that the Triple Crown does.