After 30 years of offering harness racing, Hazel Park is getting set to host its first program of thoroughbred racing since 1984.

Following a major facelift, the 65-year-old facility is getting set to kick off a 16-week meet of thoroughbred racing. The meet begins Friday, June 27 and wraps up on October 11.

The old limestone track with the half-inch cushion is becoming almost all sand and a bit of clay, with 6,200 tons of new material dumped, worked in, grated and feathered over the past month.

“It’s got a lot of give,” said Ladd Biro, Racetrack Manager. “Thoroughbreds have to race on a much softer surface than Standardbreds do. They’re more fragile. This is about 4-1/2, 5 inches deep of just sand. It prevents horses, hopefully, from getting lame. We had to move the rail out, about 8 feet, and everything was resurveyed accordingly, to maintain the integrity of the five-eighths.”

The Detroit News has complete details on the crossover to thoroughbreds at Hazel Park Raceway.