Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway is busily preparing for its fourth season of live harness racing, which will begin during the afternoon of Monday, September 11 and will run five days a week through December 30.
The 76-day meet will feature matinees at 2:15 p.m. each Monday and Tuesday, and evening programs at 6:15 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The only exceptions to the schedule come during Week 2, when Hollywood Dayton will be dark from September 18-21 in deference to Little Brown Jug Week at the Delaware, Ohio fairgrounds. The track will also be dark on November 23 (Thanksgiving) and December 25 (Christmas). A pre-Thanksgiving live card has been added on Wednesday, November 22 at 6:15 p.m.
The highlight of the four-month meet will be the Grand Circuit action that will take place on Friday, September 29, when Hollywood Dayton will proudly present the fourth editions of both the $150,000 (est.) Dayton Pacing Derby and the $160,000 (est.) Dayton Trotting Derby. Past winners of the Dayton Pacing Derby are Clear Vision, State Treasurer and Wiggle It Jiggleit. On the trotting side, past winners are Market Share, Il Sogno Dream and Obrigado.
Heading to the gate at Hollywood Dayton Raceway
The five-eighths mile oval has instituted an overall ten per cent purse increase for the 2017 season, earmarked primarily for green (N/W 1 through N/W 10 races) and condition horses. The top open classes have been increased from $15,000 last year to $18,500 when they attract a full field.
A new 20-cent High Five wager has been added to the betting menu in Race 7 each program.
A pre-meet session of qualifying races has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 5 with a 1:00 p.m. start. Entries will be taken on Monday, September 4 (Labour Day) from 9:00-10:00 a.m. at 937-235-7860, or can be made through the USTA’s Onliine Entry option.
Condition sheets for Opening Week are now available on the USTA website.
Horsepeople are reminded that they must submit new racing applications, waiver of liability forms and update direct deposit banking forms before their first start. The forms are currently available on the track’s website (hollywoodgamingatdaytonraceway.com) or can be filled out upon arrival when making your first start of the new season.
“I’m looking forward to our best season yet,” said race secretary Gregg Keidel. “We anticipate an adequate horse supply to produce full field competitive races; and we feature one of the deepest and most talented driver’s colonies in the sport. Of course, the fact that our VLT facility continues to produce better year-over-year yields for purses doesn’t hurt either. I’m looking out my window watching our track crew working diligently to insure an outstanding track surface. All we need now is the horses…I can’t wait!”
(Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway)