The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Harrah’s Philadelphia, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, will offer a new series aimed toward open class pacers, trotters and mare pacers during the 2018 racing season.
There will be no nominations or fees required to be eligible.
The new series will begin in May. All three events will alternate between The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Harrah’s Philadelphia during the course of the summer racing season with a few variations.
Each leg will carry a $30,000 purse. The exceptions will be the opening leg held at Pocono on May 5 (the $50,000 Van Rose Memorial) and the Invitational events held at Harrah’s during Memorial Day weekend on May 27. Those purses have yet to be determined.
Each leg must have a minimum of seven horses drawn into the race. Each starter will receive 25 points along with points awarded according to official placings toward the final. The top nine point earners in each category that enter in the finals will be eligible. There must be at least six legs held in an event in order to have a final. Trainers may only have one horse in a leg and no more than two in the finals.
The $100,000 finals will be held on Sunday (September 2), which is Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championship Night for three-year-olds at Pocono. The Open Class finals will go a distance of one and a quarter miles.
(The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono)