Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

2005 ILLINOIS RACING DATES ANNOUNCED
September 21, 2004

The Illinois Racing Board announced the harness and thoroughbred dates for the year 2005 during their annual race dates meeting today that lasted into the evening hours. During a precedent setting meeting the board allocated dates on an overlapping basis for 12 weeks during the summer months.

Suburban Downs at Hawthorne Race Course will race 4 days per week on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting June 5th and ending on August 26th for a total of 48 days. Balmoral will race on Tuesday and Saturday nights and Maywood will race only 1 night per week on Thursday.

From January 1st through June 4th and from August 27th through December 31st the schedule remains the same as it is now with Balmoral running Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays with Maywood continuing to run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during these times.

Balmoral Park
January 1-June 4 (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday)
June 7-August 27 (Tuesday & Saturday)
August 28-December 31 (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday)

Maywood Park
January 1-June 3 (Monday, Wednesday & Friday)
June 9-August 25 (Thursday only)
August 29-December 31 (Monday, Wednesday & Friday)

Hawthorne Race Course
June 5-August 26 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday)

IHHA & Balmoral / Maywood Sign Agreement on Recapture Issue
In addition to the IRB’s precedent setting announcement, the IHHA announced that it has signed an agreement with Balmoral and Maywood that will continue to offset up to 80% of recapture in the year 2005. The terms of the recapture agreement are similar to the ones the horsemen are racing under now. By coming to terms on such a major issue and at such an early date the horsemen can be ensured that they will be racing on January 1, 2005 without the worry of a work stoppage over recapture.

The above announcements are big news for the horsemen. Until this year horsemen and women have not had the simple luxury of knowing whether they would be racing on January 1st for the past few years. Additionally, next year the summer months will offer an unprecedented variety of racing opportunities coupled with the fact that the barn areas will remain open at both Balmoral and Maywood throughout the summer alleviating horsemen the burden of having to move their operations. The days awarded Hawthorne, even though less than the total for 2004, will be spread out over a 12 week period, allowing them better marketing opportunities and time to build up their simulcast signal. The Saturday dates at Balmoral will allow them to keep their stakes schedule in their traditional time spots.

2005 Indiana Race Dates Set
September 20, 2004
Indiana’s harness horsemen will race a total of 142 days in 2005 with only a one-week gap between meets at Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs. The Indiana Horse Racing Commission adopted a 2005 racing schedule similar to 2004.

Hooser park was given 60 days, from April 2-June 25, racing Wednesday & Sunday. Indiana Downs was given 82 days, racing from July 1-October 29 on Tuesday & Wednesday.

Indiana Thoroughbred horsemen were granted a 60-day meet at Hoosier and a 48-day meet at Indiana Downs.

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