After being foiled in attempt to expand to a three-day per week schedule, the Meadowlands Racetrack has announced that it will add five more races to both its Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20 live programs in order to help horsepeople get their horses raced.
The Meadowlands has stated that the process for the New Jersey Racing Commission to grant an additional card is too time consuming to address the immediate problem. Therefore, effective next weekend -- and until racing returns in Pennsylvania -- the Meadowlands' Friday and Saturday programs will feature 18 races, which will result in an additional 10 races per weekend.
The Meadowlands' release on the matter states, 'To stay close at all to the budgeted purse account will require a 20 per cent reduction, excluding the planned three 12-horse races per night, which will see 10 per cent trimmed from their purse.' The release also states that purses will return to previous levels upon returning to the normal number of races.
The added races should provide a better opportunity for horsepeople to get their three-year-olds going in anticipation of upcoming stakes.
The Meadowlands has stated that post time for its live programs will be moved up to 6:00 p.m. for the enlarged programs of racing.
(With files from the Meadowlands Racetrack)