SPORTS FOLDEROL

  Here, there, everywhere … briefly told: Off to an encouraging start with its 41-day summer meet,  Colonial Downs goes into four-day Week 2 today  averaging almost nine starters per race … Nationally,  there has been an alarming decline to an all-time low of  7.40 in 2024 although early returns this year have been up  slightly to 7.71 … Friday’s sideshow of races featuring  zebras, ostriches and camels attracted a crowd of more  than 4,500 or more than twice the New Kent County  track’s average. Until we know what the Commanders are offering, and  what holdout wideout  TERRY McLAURIN  wants, let’s  hold off taking sides, OK? Meanwhile, the Patriots are  said interested in a trade … and undoubtedly not the only  ones. Good-guy  DAVID WRIGHT , member of the Virginia  Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2020), will have his No. 5  retired by the New York Mets in a special on-field  ceremony Saturday …...

  A little of a lot … If you like soccer even a little bit … and missed Sunday’s  Club World Cup final … your loss. Chelsea did to Paris  Saint-Germain what PSG was supposed to do to Chelsea.  With  COLE PALMER  scoring identical goals then  setting up JOAO PEDRO  with a highlight-reel pass, all  before halftime, the English Premier League team won 3- 0 in a match that threatened to get out of hand after  intermission.  For reasons that should be investigated by FIFA, the  sport’s international governing body, referee  ALLURES   FAGHANI  let too much go … and left himself wide open  to a charge of knowing which team was supposed to win  … and allowing that to influence his call of the game.  In the end, though, the Australian of Iranian descent had  no choice but to end whatever suspense remained by  giving a red card to PSG’s  JOAO NEVES  for (literally)  grabbing a handfu...