DATE: Monday, August 25, 1997               TAG: 9708250086

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A1   EDITION: FINAL 

SERIES: Colonial Downs

        Post time for New Kent's horse-racing track

SOURCE: BY HOLLY A. HEYSER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   38 lines

COLONIAL DOWNS HEADS TO HOME STRETCH

O.J. Peterson has probably answered the question ``Are you going to make it?'' about a thousand times now, and he's ready to take the next question.

A thousand times, yes, said Peterson, president of Colonial Downs, the horse racing track that must open on Sept. 1 or lose its state license.

Peterson said the New Kent County track would be ready for horses to train on it by today. Cleaning crews will start purging the grandstand of that fine red dust that has engulfed the construction site.

And the water should be certified safe for consumption by today, too.

Maryland horse trainer Ferris Allen III said he's heard a change lately in the voices of Colonial Downs officials. ``There's kind of a bubbling optimism and enthusiasm among all this havoc,'' he said. ``They're smelling the excitement of opening day.''

And so are New Kent County entrepreneurs. Or is that money they're smelling?

One woman who owns several rental properties in the area told him she was charging a whopping $1,000 a week for a two-bedroom house during the six-week racing season.

``She figured two jockeys in each bedroom could pay $250 apiece,'' Allen said, ``and it would still be cheaper than a hotel.'' MEMO: A look at other tracks/E1 ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Graders work at the race track, where horses were expected to be

able to start training today. The New Kent County track must open

Sept. 1.

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