MANALAPAN,
NJ – August 19, 2013 – Live harness racing returns to Freehold Raceway on
August 29, 2013 with a 50-cent trifecta wager, updated graphics and a new menu
in the dining room.
Live
racing takes places on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays plus a special holiday
card on Labor Day, Monday, September 2. Post time remains 12:30 p.m.
Attendees
on Opening Day will receive a free t-shirt with the purchase of a Freehold live
program [while supplies last].
Before
the track opens for the 48-date meet that runs through December 14, qualifiers
will take place on Thursday, August 22. Declarations are due by 10 a.m.
on Wednesday, August 21.
Purses
for the meet will average $45,000 per day, according to General Manager Howard
Bruno.
The
draw for opening day, August 29, will take place on Monday, August 26.
The draw for Friday, August 30 will be on Tuesday, August 27. The draw
for Saturday, August 31 will be on Wednesday, August 28 and the draw for Labor
Day, Monday, September 2, will be on Thursday, August 29. All
declarations are due by 9 a.m.
For
the balance of the meet, the draw will follow the traditional Freehold schedule
of Saturday for Thursday, Tuesday for Friday and Wednesday for Saturday
The
new addition to the wagering menu is a 50-cent trifecta.
“We’re
experimenting with a new lower 50 cent minimum wager on all trifectas,” Bruno
said. “Lower minimums have been well received by our simulcast players
and allow for playing more combinations at a reasonable cost. If our
10-cent superfectas are any indication, the 50-cent trifecta should be a big
hit.
“We’ve
updated our graphics which we feel will better display all wagering information
as well as giving us a modern and distinctive look,” Bruno added.
The
Renaissance Dining Room at Freehold will have a new menu, starting on opening
day. The dining room is open for lunch and dinner on Fridays and
Saturdays, plus lunch on opening day and Monday holidays.
Freehold
will participate in the USTA Strategic Wagering Program with a $5,000
guaranteed Early Pick 4 pool (races 2-5)
Other
special event days include Labor Day, Monday, September 2 [50-cent hot dogs and
sodas plus drawings for season parking passes] and the 2nd Open
Space Pace on Saturday, September 21 that features a parade of horses down Main
Street in Freehold to the track, followed by celebrity amateur races,
demonstrations and exhibits, food stands, racing under saddle events, petting
zoo, concert and fireworks.
“Freehold
Raceway is looking forward to hosting the second annual Open Space Pace,” said
Bruno. “Last year’s event was a huge success. We are so grateful to
Sam Landy and the entire Open Space Pace committee for the time and effort they
have put forward in making this event happen.”
The
Freehold stakes program for August through October features New Jersey Sire
Stakes Green Acres divisions for all ages and gaits, the Lou Babic Paces and
the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey-sponsored
Helen and Charles Smith Trots, Marion and Harold Dancer Trots and New Jersey
Futurity Stakes.
“I
am looking forward to an exciting fall meet,” said Director of Racing and
Racing Secretary Karen Fagliarone.
The
$58,000 estimated Marion Dancer Final for two-year-old New Jersey-sired
trotting fillies and the $60,000 estimated Helen Smith Final for three-year-old
New Jersey-sired trotting fillies are both carded on Friday, September 6 [Smith
elims on August 30].
The
$80,000 Charles Smith Final for three-year-old New Jersey-sired trotting colts
will take place on September 20 [elims September 13] with the $45,000 Harold
Dancer for two-year-old New Jersey-sired trotting colts on September 27.
New
Jersey Futurity divisions for two and three-year-olds will be contested on
September 14, October 3, October 10 and October 12.
The
Lou Babics for New Jersey-sired two-year-old pacers, sponsored by the New
Jersey Sire Stakes, will feature finals on September 7 for both the open
[$90,000 estimated] and filly [$55,000 estimated] divisions. Eliminations
will take place August 31.
Green
Acres kick off on opening day with two-year-old trotting colts. Each gait
and age will include three preliminary legs [$7,000 each] and $25,000
finals. The finals will take place on September 20 [2ct], September 26
[3fp], October 4 [2ft], October 5 [3cp], October 17 [3ft], October 19 [2fp
& 2cp] and October 25 [3ct].
-Submitted
by Carol Hodes for SBOANJ
