There’s just 20 days until the 2025 harness racing season begins at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Thursday, May 8. 

Opening week races will be held Thursday-Saturday with a 5:45 p.m. first post and then will continue on a Tuesday-Saturday schedule. Condition sheets are now available for that first week on the United States Trotting Association website with average daily overnight purses at $189,000 USD.

"There were over 1,400 races in 90 days last year for our meet,” said Jason Roth, Scioto’s Director of Racing. "We look forward to once again having a full box and, with our new paddock, welcome back our horsemen for 2025."

The new state-of-the-art paddock is on track to be finished the week before opening day and will have room for 16 races with 10 horses each.

After an eight-year hiatus, the Jug Preview will return to Scioto on Saturday, Sept. 6. Last won in 2017 by Ohio’s perennial sire Downbytheseaside, the 2025 edition will boast a $225,000 USD purse. 

Other special race cards for the 2025 season are listed below.

• July 5 - Next Generation
• July 31-Aug. 2 - Ohio State Fair Races
• Aug. 23 - #SendItIn and Cleopatra Invitationals, Moni Maker, Nadia Lobell
• Aug. 30 - Aged Ohio Sire Stakes
• Sept. 6 - Charlie Hill Memorial Trot, Jim Ewart Memorial Pace, Jug Preview

The 90-day Eldorado Scioto Downs race meet runs from Thursday, May 8 through Saturday, Sept. 13. Races will be held Tuesday-Saturday with special holiday cards on Memorial Day and Labour Day instead of the Tuesday card that week. First post will be 5:45 p.m. each day with exceptions for May 26 and June 19 (4 p.m.), July 4 (3:15 p.m.) and Sept. 12 (6:45 p.m.). 

(Eldorado Scioto Downs)