Colonial Downs announced last week that it will be holding regularly-scheduled nighttime turf races for thoroughbreds in 2012, and that a $670,000 project to install the lighting system is to be completed by March 31

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Via release, Colonial Downs President Ian Stewart said, “I’m very optimistic that this new initiative will expose racing to a new audience here in Virginia, and give evening simulcast customers around the country a great product to wager as well.”

The annual summer thoroughbred meet will begin on June 2 and continue thru July 28 with racing generally scheduled on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday afternoons at 12:55 p.m. The 32-day season will be highlighted by the fifteenth running of the $600,000 Virginia Derby (Gr. II) on Saturday, July 21.

To read the Colonial Downs release in its entirety, click here.