The following appeared in the Daily Racing Form December 28. Extravagant Kid, owned by DAARS, Inc (stable name of Virginia HBPA President David Ross), won the Janus Stakes December 28. It was the 6-year-old Kiss The Kid’s 9th “top two” finish in his last nine starts. The winner has bankrolled $324,475 in 2019 and $727,214 in his career (39-12-11-6).

The versatile Extravagant Kid found the switch from turf to dirt and a drop out of graded stakes company just the right remedy to get back on the winning track in the $75,000 Janus Stakes.

Extravagant Kid finished second behind Vision Perfect in the 2018 Janus, which was run as scheduled on the grass. But last year’s winner was scratched Saturday morning after the five-furlong Janus was switched to the main track due to overnight rain.

With Gaffalione aboard him for the first time since June, Extravagant Kid prompted the early pace under confident handling, overtook Faction Cat inside the eighth pole, and gradually edged clear. It was another 3 1/2 lengths further back to Archidust. Running for Riz and Tenacity Zip rounded out the order of finish in a field that scratched down from nine to five starters.

Extravagant Kid, second in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road at Woodbine in his previous start, posted his fourth win in seven starts this season and fifth career victory on dirt. He completed the distance in 57.52 seconds over a fast track and paid $4.60 as the tepid favorite.

The following appeared in The Racing Biz December 28 and was written by Ted Black. Gin Talking Stakes winner Bella Aurora was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm.

On the final stakes card of 2019 at Laurel Park, a pair of stakes events for two-year-olds offered a possible glimpse into the future.

The two winners arrived via different paths, but they took the same route to winner’s circle — the overland route.

In the $100,000 Gin Talking Stakes for two-year-old fillies traveling seven furlongs, an event that appeared wide open on paper, Bella Aurora and jockey Julian Pimentel rallied from the rear of the field as the 7-2 third choice to score by a length over favored Ankle Monitor in 1:24.24 on a fast main track.

A Virginia-bred daughter of Carpe Diem trained by Michael Trombetta for owner Country Life Farm, Bella Aurura notched her first stakes triumph, her second straight score and third win in six starts overall to push her career earnings past $140,000.

“She had been training really well, and we had plenty of time to get her ready for this race,” Trombetta said. “We thought she was going to be a turf horse, but she trained so well on the dirt that we figured we try her on it last time and she won [an allowance race] easily, so we thought to come back in here. Julian fits her like a glove. He’s so been patient aboard her every start.”

Pimentel has been aboard Bella Aurora for all six of her starts, the first four of which were on the grass. She broke her maiden on the turf in her second start against maiden special weight company then finished second and third in a pair of stakes on the grass. But she made her main track debut early last month and scored by three lengths in a one-mile allowance after being stalled behind horses at the top of the lane.

That gave her connections a hint of what to expect next.

In the Gin Talking, Pimentel saved some ground early before tipping wide entering the lane for clear running room.

“She’s always been one of those fillies that relaxes early and makes one big run at the end,” Pimentel said. “Today she stayed well off the pace and then came with her usual rally. Turning for home, I knew that I had a lot of horse underneath me.”

Country Life Farm went to $87,000 at last fall’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale to obtain Bella Aurora, who was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm. Her victory in the Gin Talking also marked the first stakes win of the year for Country Life.

“We’ve always been really high on this filly, but initially we thought she would only do well on the turf,” Pons said. “But Mike [Trombetta] said she trained so well on the dirt that he wanted to try her on the dirt last time and she ran really well… It’s a great win for the Farm because this was our first stakes win all year. We have some small investors who love being a part of it, especially now that things are really looking up in Maryland.”

In the $100,000 Heft Stakes for two-year-olds, Monday Morning Qb (Jorge Vargas, Jr.) bided his time from just off the pace through the early stages, surged to command three-wide at the head of the lane then held safe Georgia-bred New Commission for a half-length score while getting the seven furlongs in 1:23.46.

“He spiked a fever prior to his last start, but luckily the grooms were there and they caught it, so we didn’t ship down for the last stake,” trainer Robert E. Reid, Jr. said of the Maryland-bred son of Imagining, who had been entered in but scratched from the Maryland Juvenile Futurity three weeks prior.

“He’s usually then type of horse that eats up, but the groom noticed that he was off his feed,” Reid added. “It only lasted a few days, but we did what was best by hm and decided not to come down. But we always thought this horse would like a little more distance. I think he might even like running on the grass.”

In his two starts at Parx, the most recent of which he had won, Monday Morning Qb had jockey Frankie Pennington in the irons. But on Saturday afternoon Vargas climbed aboard him for the first time and quickly realized how much horse he had underneath him when the field entered the starting gate. Monday Morning Qb notched his second win in three starts overall and more than doubled his career earnings past $100,00.

“He seemed really headstrong at the start, but then he relaxed right away for me,” Vargas said. “He broke well but then he just settled down for me. When he moved up alongside the leaders turning for home he was going easily. He finished up pretty good. I think he definitely wants to go longer.”

Four Virginia-bred horses will compete in stakes races this Saturday December 28th on what is shaping to be a major race day at tracks around the country. Three of the four will battle against each other in the $100,000 Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel while another steps up to Grade I company in the $300,000 American Oaks at Santa Anita.

Bella Aurora, Princess Adira and Still Alive are among ten 2-year-old fillies that will start in the Gin Talking which will be run at seven furlongs on dirt.

Bella Aurora, a Mike Trombetta trainee who was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm, is 9-2 early. Seeking her third win, she captured a maiden special weight August 16 and an allowance optional claimer November 2, both at Laurel. Virginia racing fans saw her finish second in the Jamestown Stakes September 7 at Colonial Downs. Bella Aurora is by Carpe Diem out of Street Interest by Street Cry and brings a bankroll of $81,140 into the race.

Princess Adira, 10-1 early, is a Lacey Gaudet trainee that was bred by Chance Farm. The Cairo Prince filly has a win and two seconds in three starts and earnings of $39,600. She started her career with the two runner-ups then broke through in a maiden special weight July 26 at Laurel. Out of the More Than Ready mare, Ready Reply, Princess Adira will be ridden by Forest Boyce. 

Still Alive, trained by Guadalupe Preciado, is 15-1. The Midshipman filly has a pair of wins in six starts. She captured both at Parx in a maiden special weight August 6 and in an allowance optional claimer on October 20. Bred by Daybreak Stables, Still Alive has earned $73,640 and is out of the Officer mare, Officer Pepper.

The Gin Talking Stakes is the fifth on the card and will go to post at 2:18 PM. There are four other stakes on tap at Laurel.

K P Slickem, trained by Jeff Mullins, will compete in the American Oaks, one of three Grade I Stakes on Santa Anita’s card which was delayed two days by adverse weather. The 3-year-old Include filly will face seven others at the 1 1/4 miles distance on turf. Bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm, K P Slickem has earned $116,749 from eight starts this year. She broke her maiden at Zia Park last December then scored an allowance win at Del Mar in August. In her two year racing career, she has 8 “top three” finishes and earnings of $141,949.

The American Oaks will be the sixth race at Santa Anita Saturday and will go off at 4:44 PM.

Post-Christmas stakes action kicked off December 26 when Virginia-bred and Ashland Stakes winner Out for a Spin took a close second in the $75,000 Bob Fortus Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds. The 3-year-old Hard Spun filly led throughout the one mile, 70 yard race and still had command heading into the final 1/16th. Long shot Saracosa caught the frontrunner just before the wire and won by less than a length. Out for a Spin, bred by the William Backer Estate, pushed her seasonal bankroll to $364,610 with the runner-up finish. The winner paid $64.60.

A trio of horses who won stakes at Colonial Downs this summer will all be competing in stakes on the same card this Saturday, December 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Virginia Derby winner English Bee, Virginia Oaks winner Carnival Colors and Da Hoss victor Extravagant Kid will be vying in different stakes.

English Bee is part of a large 15 horse field in the $75,000 Tropical Park Derby for 3-year-old horses on turf at 1 1/16ths miles. The Graham Motion trainee won Virginia’s Derby August 31 by a head over Jais’s Solitude, who also is in this race seeking revenge. Since the Colonial triumph, English Bee captured the Parx Fall Derby by a neck October 8 and will be making his first start since. He is by English Channel out of Evil Kitten by Kitten’s Joy. In 2019 alone, he has four wins and earnings of $295,650.

Jais’s Solitude is a son of Afleet Alex and has bankrolled $98,991 this year. Since the Derby, he has finished sixth in the Bald Eagle Stakes at Laurel and eighth in the Qatar Twilight Derby (Gr. 2) at Santa Anita. The Tropical Park Derby is Race 9 on Gulfstream’s card and will go off at 4:00 PM.

Carnival Colors, with 2019 earnings of $119,059, will compete against sophomore fillies at the same 1 1/16ths miles distance on turf for a $75,000 purse. The Oaks is carded as Race 7 and will go to post at 3:00 PM.

Bred in Great Britain, the 3-year-old Distorted Humor filly will face a full field as she goes for her third win of the year. In her only start since the victory at New Kent, Carnival Colors was ninth in the Grade 3 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes. The Michael Stidham trainee is out of the Street Sense mare, Carnival Court.

Virginia owner and HBPA President David Ross’s classy Extravagant Kid will battle in the $100,000 Janus Stakes, a five furlong turf event. Carded as Race 4, it is scheduled for 1:30 PM.

The 6-year-old Kiss The Kid Florida-bred gelding is in the midst of his most successful racing campaign. He has a trio of wins and runner-up finishes in seven starts, good for $262,475 in earnings. Extravagant Kid has a career bankroll of $665,475 from 38 outings.

Since winning the Da Hoss, he took fifth in the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland and second in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes November 23 at Woodbine. The Brendan Walsh trainee has finished first or second in eight of his last 9 starts. Extravagant Kid is out of the With Distinction mare, Pretty Extravagant.

The following is a press release from Colonial Downs which followed the Virginia Racing Commission meeting December 19.

Richmond, VA – December 19, 2019 – Colonial Downs Group is pleased to announce the Virginia Racing Commission has approved 18 race dates in 2020 for Colonial Downs Racetrack. Racing will be conducted beginning July 23 and run through August 29 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with a scheduled post time of 5:30 pm.  

Colonial Downs will distribute $500,000 per day in purses and provide a lucrative series of state bred and certified races for the second straight year. The popular MATCH Series will be run at the New Kent track on August 15. The G-3 Virginia Derby will close out the race meet on August 29 along with the Virginia Oaks, Rosie’s and Kitten’s Joy Stakes. Four Wheel Drive won the inaugural running of the Rosie’s Stakes and went on to capture the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint establishing himself as a contender for Eclipse Award honors.

Frank Petramalo, Executive Director of the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (VHBPA) stated, “The horsemen look forward in 2020 to building on our successful 2019 race meet. The renowned Secretariat turf course and highly praised mile and a quarter dirt track along with our beautiful stabling area provide a perfect setting for horses and their connections. We are certain that our incremental growth plan will establish Colonial Downs as a premier destination for racing in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond.”

Live racing at Colonial Downs racetrack re-emerged in 2019 under the new ownership of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E).  In its first year of ownership, P2E exceeded all expectations to re-establishing Colonial Downs Racetrack and opening four Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums throughout Virginia.  John Marshall, Executive Vice President of Operations said, “Our team is focused on adding more life to our communities and the thoroughbred industry through our 2020 growth plan which features the continued evolution of live racing at Colonial Downs towards becoming one of the nation’s elite turf meets.”

“It was such a successful return of racing to Virginia in 2019, with Colonial Downs receiving wonderful support of top horsemen and women from all regions of the country, as well as horseplayers, fans and the entire racing industry,” added Vice President of Racing Operations, Jill Byrne. “We could not be more enthusiastic for the 2020 season. Offering $500,000 in daily purses, participant incentives, a strong state bred and certified program, Steeplechase races, the addition of the MATCH Series to our stakes schedule, all culminating with Virginia Derby night, makes for an exciting and lucrative 18 days of racing. Equine and human safety and welfare and the integrity of our racing product also remain top priorities for Colonial Downs, as we demonstrated in 2019, and we will continue to work with our partners and the horse industry as a whole to emphasize that important responsibility.”

Tickets for the 2020 live race meet including the Virginia Derby and Oaks go on sale February 2, 2020 at www.colonialdowns.com.

About Colonial Downs: Colonial Downs Group operates a thoroughbred horse racing facility with full card simulcasting in New Kent County, Va., and a network of historical horse racing satellite wagering facilities branded as “Rosie’s” throughout Virginia. Colonial Downs Group has made a $300 million investment in the Commonwealth of Virginia and created 1,000 new jobs. This effort will generate $25 million annually in state tax revenues, $17 million annually in local tax revenues and $25 million annually to Virginia’s horse industry. The project did not receive any tax credits or government incentives.

Congratulations to Virginia Thoroughbred Association President Debbie Easter whose Finite, a 2-year-old Munnings filly, is positioning herself to be a true contender in the 2020 Kentucky Oaks.

Finite was victorious most recently in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs November 30. In October, she won the Rags to Riches Stakes — also at Churchill — and she broke her maiden September 12 at Kentucky Downs. She also has a pair of runner-up finishes in addition to the three wins for freshman year purse earnings of $368,349.

Finite, who is out of the Tapit mare, Remit, is trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, Tom Reiman, William Dickson and Debbie Easter.

To learn more about the exciting prospect and an update on Virginia horse racing, listen to the “In The Money” podcast below. Debbie’s interview begins at the 19 minute mark.

Link to article at “In the Money”

Southwoods Farm in Buckingham County is off Route 15, about ten miles south of the Fork Union Military Academy.

The 42-acre farm is owned by Robert and Jeannette Reck, and their son Christopher (shown below with Jeannette) spends time there when he’s not racing at Penn National.

Robert is shown with the two newest Virginia-Certified horses they are stabling — both still officially unnamed. One is by Uncle Lino out of Killin Them Softly and the other is by Uptowncharlybrown out of Sara The Great.

Both arrived on October 1st and are owned by Christopher’s girlfriend.

The Recks relocated to New Canton, Virginia after Jeannette retired from her job in New Jersey.

The two young Certified colts are among seven horses the Reck’s have on their property.

Another pair of horses — Virginia-Certified three-year-olds named Call On Clara and la Limonada — enjoy down time in an adjacent pasture at Southwoods.

Neither of the pair was ready to compete yet at Colonial Downs this summer but they each earned runner-up finishes at Penn National this fall. They will spend time in New Canton until March then head back to Penn.

Robert checks out activities at the farm on a fall afternoon.

Lady at the Helm, whose maiden breaking win came at Colonial Down in 2005, still resides at Southwoods. Trainer Chris Reck remembers the day. “In her at first start at Colonial, I ran her short, at five furlongs. She finished 8th but made up lots of ground in the stretch and finished strong. Next start, I ran her back at 1 1/6ths miles and had a ‘bug’ set to ride her but she opted to run another horse. They put Rosie Napravnik on her instead and I wondered who the heck that was. An assistant to trainer Dickie Small said she had just rode her first winner and knew what she was doing.” Lady at the Helm was sent off at odds of 85-1 that race, and she won! The $2 payout was $173.20.

Virginia-breds Alex Joon and Ready and Rich captured back-to-back races at Churchill Downs December 1st to kick off holiday season in grand fashion.

Alex Joon dominated by 8 1/4 lengths in a $76,000 one mile maiden special weight race on dirt. The 2-year-old Flatter colt was seventh at the half but came back strong to finish in 1:37.36. The winner was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm and is owned by Zayat Stables. The Steve Asmussen trainee is out of the Include mare, Sun Salvation. Alex Joon paid $16.00 to win and after two starts, has a bankroll of $38,173.

In the very next race, Ready and Rich was the best $30,000 claimer in a field of ten and like Alex Joon, was racing seventh at the half. The 3-year-old Super Saver colt came on late in the 6 1/2 furlong dirt test and won by a length in 1:18.31. The victor, bred by the Chance Farm, was one of three horses claimed in the race. He has earned $62,077 in 2019 and overall, has $117,437 from 12 “in-the-money” finishes. He is out of the More Than Ready mare, Ready Reply.

Four other Virginia-breds had maiden breaking victories in the past couple weeks — Taskinas, Oddseverinurfavor, Blacktop Legend and Uncle Andrew. 

Eagle Point Farms’ Taskinas won a $26,000 maiden claimer at Laurel December 6th. The 2-year-old Orientate gelding took the lead from Created Special at the top of the stretch then crossed nearly a length in front in 1:12.72. Taskinas kicked off his career with a sixth in this summer’s Jamestown Stakes at Colonial Downs and this was his first win in four tries. The Rob Bailes trainee was ridden by Forest Boyce. The winner is out of Toccoa by Purple Comet.

Larry Johnson bred a trio of winners over the past two weeks including Oddseverinurfavor, a 4-year-old Despite the Odds filly who prevailed at Charles Town December 4th. She won for the first time in six starts for owner/trainer Donna Lockhard in a $17,000 maiden claimer. She is out of Dowhatyouwanttwodo by Two Punch. 

Blacktop Legend connected in a $41,000 maiden claiming race at Aqueduct Thanksgiving weekend. The 3-year-old Hard Spun gelding competed six furlongs and finished in 1:11.63, best in the field of nine. The winner, bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm, did not compete at age two. In 2019, he has a win, a second and a trio of thirds in seven starts, good for $43,140 in earnings. Out of the Street Cry mare, Street Interest, Blacktop Legend is owned by the Bob Peterson Stables, Frank Bellavia and Gary Gullo, who also trains.

Uncle Andrew collected his first win December 7th at Fairgrounds in a $17,000 maiden claimer for 2-year-olds. The Jack Milton gelding captured the one mile race by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:40.0. Bred by Lazy Lane Farms, the winner is out of the Hansel mare, Bonnie Rose.

Sir Rockport and Toto’s Darling, both bred by Larry Johnson, also scored recent wins. The former was a gate-to-wire victor at Penn National December 6th in a 5 1/2 furlong claiming race. He won for the 9th time in 56 career starts and pushed his bankroll to $249,449. The 7-year-old Rockport Harbor gelding is owned by Five C’s Stable. The latter, a 4-year-old Despite the Odds filly, upset the field in a December 5th $13,000 claimer at Charles Town after being sent off at odds of 23.5-1. Toto’s Darling wired the field and won by a head in the 4 1/2 furlong test, returning $49.00. She is owned by Amanda Plata.

Finally, Gingeresk won by a head over Ellie’s Cork at Charles Town November 29th and earned her fourth career triumph. The 4-year-old Eskendereya filly finished the seven furlongs in 1:29.74. She was bred by Nancy Rizer & Eric Rizer and is owned by the latter. With $57,850 in earnings, Gingeresk is out of Serenity Hill by Speightstown.

Six of the nine winners noted also earned a 25% bonus for their owners courtesy of the Mid-Atlantic incentive program. By winning at a track in either New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia or Delaware, winners Sir Rockport, Toto’s Darling, Taskinas, Oddseverinurfavor, Blacktop Legend and Gingeresk all provided their owners with the extra dollars.       

by Frank Vespe | Dec 5, 2019 | Breaking, Business, Regionwide, Top Stories | 0 comments

by Frank Vespe

Tuesday, December 10 brings the 2019 edition of the Fasig-Tipton mixed sale, with the first hip slated to go through the ring at 10:00 a.m.

Featuring the disperal of owner Joseph Besecker’s stock, the catalog offers some some 364 hips, including a big group of horses of racing age added as a supplement after the main book came out. Those horses are included in the online catalog.

Next week’s sale by the numbers:

RANDOM FACTS

• Missing in action The 364 hips on offer (prior to outs) are numbered 1 through 367. Hips 176 and 212 are missing.
• It’s an age thing Weanlings — horses born in 2019 — account for the largest group of horses in the sale, with 89 on offer. There are also 41 two-year-olds and 41 three-year-olds on offer, along with 37 four-year-olds. There are 18 yearlings in the sale.
• Girl Power Of the 364 hips in the catalog, 237 — just over 65% — are female. There are 129 mares and 108 fillies. Of the boys, there are 77 colts and 45 geldings.
• Not quite an alphabet’s worth Alphabetically speaking — many of the youngsters are unnamed — the sale goes from A to Y. The first of the group is A Poni Box, while the last is Yes My Love.

HIPS BY TYPE

• Weanlings 89
• Broodmares 120
• Horses of racing age 100
• Yearlings 18
• Racing/broodmare prospects 31
• Broodmare prospects 4
• Racing/stallion prospects 2

HIPS BY STATE

ARKANSAS	1
CALIFORNIA	1
FLORIDA	29
INDIANA	2
KENTUCKY	97
LOUISIANA	4
MARYLAND	118
MINNESOTA	1
NEW JERSEY	5
NEW YORK	19
OHIO	2
ONTARIO	5
PENNSYLVANIA	58
TENNESSEE	1
VIRGINIA	12
WEST VIRGINIA	7

Also, Argentina and Ireland contribute one horse each.

SIRES WITH THE MOST HIPS

JUMP START	12
NOT FOR LOVE	12
GOLDEN LAD	8
PIONEEROF THE NILE	6
GREAT NOTION	6
EL PADRINO	6
MOSLER	6
UNCLE LINO	5
FED BIZ	5
TIZNOW	5
FRIESAN FIRE	5
IMAGINING	5
CUPID	4
SUPER SAVER	4
TWO PUNCH	3
BROKEN VOW	3
BANDBOX	3
DAREDEVIL	3
GHOSTZAPPER	3
DIVINING ROD	3
DIXIE UNION	3
BODEMEISTER	3
ORIENTATE	3
INTO MISCHIEF	3
RUN AWAY AND HIDE	3
SOCIAL INCLUSION	3
TEMPLE CITY	3
AFLEET ALEX	3
CITY ZIP	3
MIDSHIPMAN	3
FREEDOM CHILD	3
MORE THAN READY	3
KITTEN’S JOY	3

TOP CONSIGNORS BY HIPS OFFERED

NORTHVIEW STALLION STATION	178
MARSHALL W SILVERMAN	54
WILLIAM S REIGHTLER	52
BECKY DAVIS	12
CLOVIS CRANE	10
SABRINA MOORE	10
PHILIP J ARNOLD	8
HARRY L LANDRY BLOODSTOCK LLC	6
MORGAN’S FORD FARM	6
WALNUT GREEN LLC	5
DARK HOLLOW FARM	4
WES CARTER	4
ROBERT T MANFUSO	3

COVERING SIRES WITH THE MOST HIPS

GOLDEN LAD	9
IRISH WAR CRY	8
GREAT NOTION	7
MOSLER	6
HOPPERTUNITY	6
DIVINING ROD	5
UNCLE LINO	4
PEACE AND JUSTICE	4
CLOUD COMPUTING	3
LONG RIVER	3
MADEFROMLUCKY	3
REDESDALE	3
ALDRIN	3
IMAGINING	3
BLOFELD	3

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Historic horse racing machines, bars, restaurants and even a hotel could be coming to the site of the vacant Sears at Greenbrier Mall.

Seritage Growth Propertiesrevealed their plans in documents recently filed with the City of Chesapeake.

While the former department store could host Hampton Roads’ second Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, a proposed four-story hotel and 23,000 square feet in new restaurant space would have to be built.

The New York-based company was formed in 2015 to redevelop former Sears properties. Its mission is to “create and own revitalized shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations that provide enriched experiences for consumers and local communities and create long-term value for our shareholders.”

Sears closed its Greenbrier Mall location in 2018 after nearly 40 years in the spot. It opened with the mall in the early 1980s.

Neither the company nor a local attorney representing them answered phone calls seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.

However, Seritage did tell shareholders earlier this month that they hoped to begin construction next spring, with a target completion date of fall 2021.

The Chesapeake planning staff have yet to make a recommendation on the proposal, which would need Planning Commission and City Council approval before moving forward.

This would be the second Rosie’s for the Hampton Roads region. A location in Hampton opened in October.

“We look forward to bringing jobs, significant tax revenues and a vibrant new form of entertainment to the Chesapeake community,” said Mark Hubbard, a spokesperson with the Colonial Downs Group.

This is the second location in the city considered by the group. Plans for 700 historic horse racing gambling machines, satellite horse race wagering and a bar and restaurant off  Rainbow Lane near Battlefield Boulevard were scrapped earlier this year.

The development would result in Greenbier Mall in having all its anchor stores filled again.

“The kind of retail that would be successful in the future would be that [it] has a large entertainment component. That is put in the right place and done the right way,” Nick Egelanian, a retail-real estate consultant, said in a 10 On Your Side special report earlier this year.