Live harness racing returned to Saratoga Casino Hotel for its 82nd season on Feb. 4, starting a schedule that consists of 150 racing programs running through mid-December.
“We’re expecting some great racing this year,” said race secretary Peter Iovino. “We have over $18 million in purses, averaging $120,000 in purses per program.”
In addition, the track will be hosting sire stakes races starting in June featuring the best New York bred horses in the state who will race for over $1 million in purses.
The premier event of the season will be the 14th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace with a $250,000 purse on Saturday, July 22.
“As in the past, we’re confident this race will attract a field of top pacers looking to break the track record of 1:48:4 set by Dancin Yankee in the 2014 Gerrity,” Iovino said.
The winter, spring and fall schedule will include matinee racing on Sunday, Monday and select Tuesdays, with a post time of noon, and Saturdays with a post time of 5 p.m.