I have always been under the assumption that Colonial Downs ownership “get it.”

While the location of the New Kent, Va. track was questionable, the track had many things going for it.

The track carved out a niche by racing a short meeting in the summer, with most of the races on the turf with large fields.

They raced on Mondays and Tuesdays, not going head to head against more established tracks, which attracted new simulcast players from around the country.derbybill.jpg

Instead of pleading for slots in the early years, they built a network of OTB parlors around the state to help fuel purses.

The track garnered national attention with the Virginia Derby, a turf race for three year olds, and offered up a $5 million bonus called the Grand Slam of Grass.

My first trip to Colonial Downs came during the first year. There was no grass surrounding the new building, but as I drove up for the first time, I thought to myself this track was going to be a winner.

Walking through the grandstand, I saw something I didn’t see in the dungeons of Laurel Park and Pimlico. I actually saw young people.

The track had a vibrancy I only encountered once a year in Maryland, and that was on Preakness Day.

However, in these economic times, Colonial Downs is not prospering. Competition for the gambling dollar in the region is fierce, with neighboring states all having slot machines.

Tracks in Maryland will finally see slots, leaving Virginia the only state in the area without them, which will make things increasingly difficult for Colonial Downs and horsemen.

The track recently laid off General Manager and Vice President Iain Woolnough, media relations staffer Kyle Fitzgerald and track handicapper and “Derby” Bill Watson.

VHBPA executive director Frank Petramalo, Jr. was quoted in the Richmond Times Dispatch, “Iain Woolnough is the key guy. He was the only one over at Colonial Downs that knew anything about horse racing, and I think they would be remiss if they didn’t hire a general manager to replace him that had a background in horse racing. . . . It’s kind of deceptive to think of the need only while there’s live racing.”

For horseplayers, Kyle and “Derby” Bill were the key guys.

Among his duties, Kyle ran one of the best NTRA handicapping contests in the country at Colonial Downs.

Kyle was a handicapper and a horseplayer, putting him far ahead most racetrack staff I have encountered. He actually understood the game.

“Derby Bill” was the face of Colonial Downs, a larger than life icon who lived and breathed horse racing, in particular Colonial Downs racing.

In addition to being the track handicapper, “Derby Bill” was an ambassador for the track, and spent much of his time teaching the game to new players, both at the track, at the OTB facilities, and just about any place you happened to run into him.

On my first trip to Colonial Downs, “Derby Bill” was nice enough to take my wife and me out to dinner.

I don’t think there was a single patron in the restaurant that did not say hello to him, or ask him who he liked in the daily double on the following day’s card.

“Derby Bill” could run for mayor of Richmond on a platform of lower takeout and an official city holiday for opening day at Colonial Downs, and win by a landslide.

For Colonial Downs management to let “Derby” Bill go just makes no sense to me.

However, hardly anything a track executive does these days makes much sense to me.

I got to spend an hour each week with Kyle, “Derby” Bill, and Mike Barrone on Down the Stretch, the local radio show devoted to horse racing.

A week did not go by without the gang giving out a few winners, and having even more laughs.

With Iain, “Derby” Bill, and Kyle getting pink slips, it is obvious now that Jacobs Entertainment Inc. and President Ian Stewart don’t “get it” after all.

Horseplayers are not going to be happy. Among the comments in the Richmond Times Dispatch was this letter from former radio sidekick Mike Barrone:

In an effort to improve the bottom line, Colonial Downs took steps to cut costs. They closed an OTB in Chesapeake, which makes sense seeing it was 10 minutes from another of their OTBs. They cut back from seven days to six days at the two OTBs in Richmond; again a sound decision seeing that revenue is lowest on Mondays and Tuesdays at horse tracks.

They also laid off some employees, which I have a tough time accepting. I am speaking about two employees who were very good ambassadors of horse racing in Virginia, Kyle Fitzgerald and “Derby” Bill Watson. Fitzgerald worked in public relations. Watson is and may always be the face of Colonial Downs. If you go to other tracks around the country and bring up Colonial Downs, do you think anybody asks about Jeff Jacobs or Ian Stewart? No, but they all know “Derby Bill,” and with good reason. He is the single best promoter of racing at Colonial Downs.

Both of these guys helped produce revenue for Colonial Downs that far exceeded the modest salaries they were paid. Colonial Downs and the folks who made the decision to release these two gentlemen are wrong. In an effort to improve the bottom line, time might prove that they hurt the bottom line.

Thanks to Fitzgerald and Watson for all they did promoting horse racing in Virginia, and a big fat thumbs down to Colonial Downs and its beancounters.

I could not have said it any better Mike.

For me, Colonial Downs without Kyle and “Derby” Bill just went from feeling like my local track to just another blip on the simulcast calendar.