By
Carol Hodes for the SBOANJ
MANALAPAN,
NJ – August 21, 2014 – When Freehold Raceway re-opens for its 2014 Summer/Fall
Meet on Thursday, August 28, there will be a return to condition racing and the
introduction of automated morning lines.
“In
a mutual agreement with the SBOA [Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association
of New Jersey], we are returning to conditioned races when we re-open August
28,” said Freehold’s General Manager Howard Bruno. “We had some success
with the ABC classified system, however, the seasonal fluctuations in horse
supply made it difficult to maximize its potential.”
The
48-day meet [August 28 through December 13] will occupy Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays each week along with a special Labor Day card on Monday, September
1. Post time is 12:30 p.m.
Overnight
purses will average $40,000 daily, according to Bruno.
Automated
morning lines, generated by TrackMaster, will debut this meet.
“Several
other tracks have begun using the system and the feedback has been positive,”
said Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Karen Fagliarone. “We feel
the automation will lead to increased accuracy and be more timely than our
current system.”
Opening
weekend includes stakes action, an opening day t-shirt giveaway, and, on Labor
Day, discounted food items, autograph session and a cap giveaway.
The
free t-shirt will be distributed with a paid Freehold live racing program
[while supplies last] on Thursday, August 28. The opening day feature is
the first round of New Jersey Sire Stakes Green Acres for two-year-old trotting
colts.
Friday,
August 29 spotlights eliminations, if needed, for the Helen Smith Trot for
three-year-old fillies which has a $55,000 estimated final on September
5.
Saturday,
August 30 will showcase three-year-old pacing colts in Green Acres action.
Two-year-old
pacers, both colts and fillies, face off in opening round Green Acres on Labor
Day, September 1.
Labor
Day is also Back to the Track, a cooperative effort by the United States
Trotting Association, its member racetracks, and horsemen from coast-to-coast
that combines exciting harness racing and fan-friendly promotions.
Freehold’s
Labor Day festivities include a free Back to the Track cap with paid Freehold
live program [while supplies last], 50-cent hot dogs, 50-cent sodas, drawings
for a season’s parking pass and Back to the Track t-shirts. Additionally,
there will be a drivers’ autograph session.
Saturday,
September 20 marks the Third Annual Open Space Pace, which starts with a
morning parade of horses on Main Street in Freehold Borough, ending at Freehold
Raceway where additional events will be staged, including celebrity amateur
races, demonstrations, educational exhibits, great food, live harness racing,
family fun activities, petting zoo, a concert and fireworks.
In
addition to the Green Acres stakes for New Jersey-sired two and
three-year-olds, the fall schedule includes the Lou Babic Paces [September 27]
and the SBOANJ-sponsored Marion Dancer Trot [September 4], Helen Smith Trot
[September 5], Charles Smith Trot [September 12], Harold Dancer Trot [September
25] and New Jersey Futurities [September 6, October 10, October 16 and October
25].
Qualifiers
are on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. with declarations due the prior day at 10
a.m. Fourteen baby races and qualifiers are carded for Thursday, August
21.
The
opening week draw schedule:
- Thursday, August 28 – Draw on
Monday, August 25 [Declare in by 9 a.m.]
- Friday, August 29 – Draw on
Tuesday, August 26 [Declare in by 9 a.m.]
- Saturday, August 30 – Draw on
Wednesday, August 27 [Declare in by 9 a.m.]
- Monday, September 1 [Labor Day]
– Draw on Thursday, August 28 [Declare in by 9 a.m.]
The
remainder of meet will follow Freehold’s traditional draw schedule of Saturday
for Thursday, Tuesday for Friday and Wednesday for Saturday.
--Quotes
and Notes Courtesy of Freehold Raceway
