Colonial Downs has cancelled its Saturday, July 4 live racing card at New Kent, Virginia, with the track moving two stakes races to July 11 and adding a July 13 fixture as extreme heat continues to disrupt the US racing schedule.
Colonial Downs Racing for Saturday, July 4th has been cancelled. The Two Stakes races will be used next Saturday, July 11th. We will be adding a card to Monday, July 13th.
— Colonial Downs Racetrack (@ColonialDowns) July 3, 2026
The decision extends a difficult opening spell for the Virginia summer meet after the track had already adjusted post times and lost racing time earlier in the week. The July 4 programme will not be run as planned, with cancelled races to be posted back as extras.
According to Thoroughbred Daily News, Colonial said the two stakes races from Saturday’s card will now be used next Saturday, July 11, while a new card has been added for Monday, July 13.
Colonial Downs Resets Weekend Schedule
Racing is still scheduled to resume at Colonial Downs on Sunday, July 5 and Monday, July 6, but both cards have been brought forward to 10:45am ET in an attempt to avoid the most severe afternoon conditions.
The cancellation is part of a wider heat-related squeeze on North American racing, with several tracks forced into postponements or earlier starts across the holiday period. For Colonial, the immediate priority is preserving the Virginia-bred stakes programme while keeping horses, riders and staff away from the worst of the conditions.
The move gives horsemen a clearer revised target, but it also leaves entries and race planning dependent on how quickly the regional weather picture improves.
