Jill Byrne leaving Colonial after "exhausting, rewarding" tenure * The Racing Biz

The upcoming Virginia Racing Commission meeting on December 14 will provide new insight into a new era of racing at Colonial Downs. The new track owners will move forward without Jill Byrne, who served as Colonial’s Vice-President of Racing Operations from 2019 reincarnation.

Jill Byrne is leaving Colonial Downs after a six-year tenure. She was Vice-President of Racing Operations. The track was sold to Churchill Downs in November. The upcoming Virginia Racing Commission meeting on December 14 will provide new insight into a new era of racing at Colonial. Byrne grew up in Virginia. Her father Peter Howe was a trainer for Marion duPont Scott. He had horses at Belmont Park and at Montpelier. His daughter owned James Madison’s Virginia estate. Churchill is like a horseracing family to Byrne. It was an opportunity she couldn't turn down.