Colonial Downs’ 17th annual harness racing season will kick off this Wednesday (September 17) at the home of the ‘one turn mile’ with a 10-race card beginning at 1 p.m.

Draws for both the Wednesday and Thursday programs took place this past weekend.

A pair of late-closer series which each boast two divisions will be the featured races.

The Horace Martin Memorial Pacing Series’ first leg will be contested at a distance of seven-eighths of one mile. Each division features nine-horse fields. Herman Hagerman’s McBlack is favoured in Race 4 based on five straight in-the-money finishes at the Red Mile. Stacey McLenaghan’s Hale Street is top early choice in the other division (race 7). The second ‘Martin’ leg, scheduled for September 24, will be at a one-mile distance, while the third and final legs will be contested at one and one-quarter miles.

The VHHA Pacing Series has a pair of six-horse fields that will compete in the fifth and sixth races on the program. George Antrhop’s Daggy is the early top pick, while McLenaghan’s Wishingonadragon is favoured late. The future VHHA legs will all be at the mile distance.

Corey Braden and Frank Milby, last year’s second and third leading reinsmen at the New Kent meet, return to Virginia and have nine and seven drives, respectively, on Wednesday. Jeff Nisonger, fifth in the 2013 standings, has six drives in the opener, as does Chuck Perry.

Trainer George Anthrop populates Wednesday’s card in grand fashion with nine horses in to go, while returnees Gerry Longo and Herman Hagerman, along with newcomer David Lake, each have five in to go.

The Colonial meet will continue through October 26 with racing slated every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. General admission is $3 and kids 12 and under are free. The fourth floor Turf Club Dining Room will be open on weekends.

Opening weekend features two unique promotions – one participatory while the other, not quite so.

On Saturday, September 20, the VHHA (Virginia Harness Horsemen’s Association) will select the name of eight fans in attendance to become one day ‘horse owners.’ Those fans will return the following day as ‘owners’ and get to keep the amount of purse money their respective horse earns in a $3,000 race. They will also tour the barn area, meet their trainer and driver, and enjoy a lunch for two in the VHHA Sky Suite. This promotion will continue every Saturday through October 18.

The Sunday, September 21 card will feature popular ostrich and camel races, which had become a Father’s Day tradition at Colonial Downs in the 2012 and 2013 summer Thoroughbred meets. In keeping with a Standardbred theme, ostriches will also have a sulky of sorts attached to them for the event. The camel race will be after the fifth harness race and the ostrich race will be after the eighth harness race. Kids will be invited to run in a 100-yard dash on the track after the races and will actually line up behind the starter’s car.

(With files from Colonial Downs)