Rockingham Park has recorded an amazing history over the past 103 years, and now standardbred racing on the grass will be added to the racetrack's long legend

.

On Saturday, August 1, the track will present one or two harness races for trotters on Rockingham Park's renowned turf course, which until this point had always been reserved exclusively for thoroughbreds because the normal racing surface for standardbreds is the main track comprised of crushed limestone. On the following Saturday, August 8, one or two grass races for pacers will be part of the Rockingham card.

The plan is innovative, as only two other racetracks in North America, the Meadowlands in New Jersey in 2009 and Indiana Downs in Indiana in 2005 and 2006, have ever offered harness races on the grass and the two tracks in combination have only carded a total of four races. While standardbred racing on the turf is not unusual in other countries such as New Zealand or France, it is highly unusual in the Unites States and Canada.

The grass races will be held at the typical harness racing distance of one mile, weather permitting. Saturday's races will mark the first time Rockingham's turf course will be used since September 5, 2004 when the track offered a mixed card of three thoroughbred races on the grass following eight harness races on the main track.

Although Rockingham Park conducted harness racing in 1912 and 1918, and then again from 1958 to 1980 along with thoroughbred racing, the turf course was not installed until 1986. After the track lay idle from 1980 to 1984 following a devastating fire, Rockingham returned as a thoroughbred only facility from 1984 to 2002. In 2003, Rockingham switched to a standardbred-only track.

The fields for Saturday's races will be drawn on Wednesday.

Also on Saturday's live racing card, the track will host the Mildred Williams Driving Series, which is an annual event for lady drivers who compete at harness tracks across North America to earn points and raise money for worthwhile charities. This year's designated charity is the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, which works to facilitate adoption for horses after their careers on the racetrack have ended and rescue horses in need.

Post time for the first race at Rockingham on Saturday is 1:05 p.m.

(With files from Rockingham)