Harness racing action at Balmoral Park will return from a 24-day break on Wednesday, January 27, as the track will open its 2010 season with an 11-race program
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Live racing at Balmoral will be conducted on three evenings, Wednesday and Saturday nights with a new first-race post time of 7:10 p.m., and Sunday evenings with the traditional early first-race post time of 6:30 p.m.
Opening night at Maywood Park will follow on Thursday, January 28. Racing will take place twice a week on the half-mile oval, as the action on Thursdays and Fridays gets underway at the new earlier first-race post time of 7:10 p.m.
A new wagering format will debut at Balmoral Park on Wednesday as well. The Pick 4 has been moved to a later slot on the wagering menu and will now follow the Meadowlands' Pick 4. Balmoral Park and Maywood Park’s Pick 4s will be offered with a fan-friendly takeout of 15%. The Pick 4 will be contested on Races 7 through 10. The minimum wager on the Pick Four is one dollar.
The High 5 will remain on Race 10. This bet requires the player to select the top five finishers in order. Unlike every other racetrack in America, Balmoral and Maywood will offer this wager with a 10 cent minimum, allowing every type of bettor a chance to make a major league score for just a dime.
With the Pick 4 moving back to a later slot, the Pick 5 will now be the early horizontal bet in Chicago, starting on Race 2 and ending with Race 6. The Pick 5 again will have a minimum bet of 50 cents.
On Sunday nights, Balmoral Park will lower the minimum trifecta wager to 50 cents. This will allow anyone to play the same combinations for half the amount on Sundays. Trifecta boxes will cost $3 for three horses, $12 for four horses and $30 for five horses. Balmoral will again offer superfecta wagering with a minimum bet of 10 cents every night. Maywood will offer $1 superfecta wagering.
For complete information on the 2010 stakes schedules at Balmoral and Maywood Park, click here.
(With files from Balmoral)