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Update June 18:Harrah’s Philadelphia Racetrack (harness racing) in Chester, PA will return to racing Sunday, June 21, horsemen’s groups told PlayPA.

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• So the seemingly endless wait is nearly over. Racing at Parx will be Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There will be no August break. There will be a Pa. Day at the Races, date to be determined soon. There will be Parx-based Mischievious Alex running in the Woody.
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Update June 17: Thoroughbred racing resumes in Pennsylvania on Friday, June 19 at Penn National’s track in Grantville, PA, the same day Hollywood Casino reopens. While there will be no spectators allowed at the track, there are views from the simulcast area, though capacity is limited. The first race is set for 6 p.m.

Update June 15: Harness racing returns to The Meadows Monday, June 15. It is the first horse race in Pennsylvania since tracks were ordered shut down three months ago.

The first post is at 12:45 p.m. The race card features ten races. Live Racing is scheduled for Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, all with 12:45 p.m. start times.

Breaking News Update June 11: It appears all six of Pennsylvania’s horse racing tracks are now green-lit for reopening by the PA Department of Health. The Meadows resumes June 15, Penn National confirmed June 19 for their restart date, and Parx will potentially resume racing June 22.

PlayPennsylvania is seeking comments regarding the additional tracks and details will be added as they become available.

Big race dates getting set

As some semblance of normal returns to racing, a number of high-profile races are now finally scheduled, beginning with the Santa Anita Derby which ran on June 6. That was a graded stakes race with qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby.

That race as well as these other big racing events can be wagered on through FanDuel Racing.

• Belmont Stakes – June 20
• Monmouth – Resumes July 3
• Keeneland – summer meet July 10-12
• Del Mar – Meet is set to begin July 10 and run until September 7
• Saratoga – Meet runs July 16 until September 7
• Kentucky Derby – September 5
• Preakness Stakes – Oct 3
• Breeders’ Cup – Nov 7

Road to racing’s return

Horse racing never completely stopped even as COVID-19 peaked across the US and around the globe. But racing shut down in Pennsylvania on March 16 and remains closed as of June 4 despite racing elsewhere.

Even with the shutdown, the backsides where barns and living quarters adjoin tracks at Penn National Racecourse and Parx Racing, both thoroughbred tracks, and the Meadows Racetrack & Casino, a harness course, have remained open and active, though without racing.

For instance, as many as 100 employees are living at Parx and as many as 800 horses, according to one former employee.

No racing in PA yet, says Wolf

The PA State Horse Racing Commission sent a formal letter to Gov. Tom Wolf on May 1, asking him to allow racing to resume with safety protocols, including no spectators. Following through, tracks submitted plans for reopening to the racing commission by May 8.

On May 12, the governor responded to the commission in a way that leaves little hope for a resumption of racing soon.

Part of his response read:

“We foresee horse racing reopening when counties enter the green phase, like other entertainment (casinos, theaters, etc).”

Wolf offered no concrete timelines for the resumption of racing at the state’s three thoroughbred tracks and three harness tracks. But it’s not likely racing will recommence in PA until casinos get the green light, which won’t happen until their county moves to Phase Green in the state’s phased reopening plan.

As of May 15, two tracks’ counties had moved to Yellow: Presque Isle Downs (Erie) and The Meadows (Washington).

But as with so much, the guidance from the Wolf administration has evolved and it appears tracks in both yellow and green should soon be allowed to resume racing without spectators and with safety protocols. However, the administration has made no formal public comments.

Updated May 19: Nineteen PA state senators signed a letter asking Wolf to reopen racing, arguing it can be done safely. Likewise, the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association made a recent plea to Wolf for reopening, pointing out nearby Ohio has a date set for resumption.

Updated May 26: The state Horse Racing Commission unanimously endorsed a bill making its way through the house – HB 2544 – which would allow for a waiver allowing horse racing to resume with safety protocols.

As a service to readers, PlayPennsylvania is following opening plans at tracks in PA plus around the nation and the globe.

When will racing return to PA?

June 15 update: Racing returned to The Meadows June 15. Penn National Race Course will reopen June 19.

June 12 update: Mohegan Sun Pocono returns to racing June 20.

June 11 update: According to Pete Peterson, Pennsylvania Equine Coalition executive director, Meadows plans to start racing on Monday, June 15. Penn National will resume racing June 19 and Parx is looking to begin June 22.

June 10 update: The Meadows Racetrack and Casino reopened on June 9 at noon. Racing is set to resume June 15.

June 8 update: The horseman’s group at Penn National is targeting Friday, June 19.

According to the Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association:

“We expect approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which will allow racing to resume at Penn National on Friday, June 19th.”

Furthermore, veterinary observations and lab work is beginning, and schooling two-year-olds on the starting gate begins on Tuesday, June 9.

Also, Presque IsleDowns is set to re-open its stable June 15 and resume racing on July 6.

No official word from other tracks or horsemen’s groups.

June 7 update: Technically, PA tracks should have been free to open on Friday, June 5 based on virus zones.

But the Wolf administration had not approved safety protocols by then.

Even when that happens, it doesn’t mean racing will begin immediately. Employees on furlough must be called back, entries logged, and harness qualifying races without betting must be done first.

The tracks with backsides which remained open – Parx,Penn National, and the Meadows – should be quickest to begin operations.

Overall, harness tracks may be slower to open, no matter their green zone status, than thoroughbred tracks, according to industry sources. That’s because the handles at standardbred tracks are lower than they are at thoroughbred courses. The only real stronghold for harness racing now is Sweden.

Reopening schedule for PA thoroughbred and harness tracks:

Interest and demand for racing up, supply limited

Meanwhile, the appetite for racing and horse betting has swollen as tracks running without spectators have filled the sporting void and focused attention on the tracks where the ponies are still racing.

For instance, tiny and obscure Fonner Park in heartland Nebraska has recently averaged more than $2.8 million in bets each day, more than eight times its action a year ago. The handle can grow without a crowd watching because live streaming and betting apps bring the action to distant fans.

In Pennsylvania, racing fans can still wager on the ponies at the state’s regulated horse betting apps, PABets and FanDuel Racing.

Parx Casino Philadelphia

Overseas tracks reopening plans

• Some jurisdictions, especially most of Australia, never shut down. Asian venues, especially Hong Kong, are also racing now or never stopped.
• Sweden began racing in April, and Germany just recently in early May.
• France has just resumed racing.
• May 19 update: Reversing course, authorities again shut down racing in parts of France with high virus counts, including Paris.
• Ireland resumes June 8.
• May 28 update: Racing has resumed in Canada and New Zealand.
• May 29 update: Racing has resumed in Moscow.
• England, and Germany are contemplating returning to racing in the near term.
• But racing in South Africa, home to that continent’s most important races, is on hold with no relief in sight.

US tracks reopening plans

• About a half a dozen tracks across the country never stopped racing during shutdowns elsewhere in the country. Their locations included Florida, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, and California.
• The meet in Arkansas has ended, but additional tracks in jurisdictions across the country are contemplating reopening soon, including the fabled Churchill Downs in Lexington, Kentucky.
• Santa Anita in Los Angeles raced without spectators until March 27 before shutting down racing. That track reopens May 15, and Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, CA reopened on May 14.
• On May 22, Ohio’s seven tracks may reopen, though the adjoining Ohio casinos remain closed. Laurel Park, in Maryland, also reopens that day.
• Texas being Texas, the state plans to run before spectators beginning May 31, but with the crowd capped at 25 percent of capacity.
• Updated May 16: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced May 16 will allow tracks to on June 1, but he’s left it to individual courses to set their own return date. Saratoga Race Course, for instance, has a July 16thopening date scheduled.
• Louisiana tracks are opening on various dates in June.
• May 23 update: The Maine Gambling Control Board this week approved making digital horse racing bets. Previously, fans were permitted to wager on horse racing only at a racetrack or an off-track betting facility.
• May 26 update: Racing resumes in Indiana in mid-June.
• June 6 update: The meet at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs has begun with spectators.

Triple Crown rescheduled

• The rescheduled Kentucky Derby is now set for September 5.
• May 17 update: The Preakness is now set for October 3.
• May 19 update: The Belmont, usually the final leg of the Triple Crown, is now set for June 20. It will be the first leg of the Triple Crown for the first time in history, and run at 1 1/8 mile rather than the typical 1 1/2 mile. The purse has also been reduced by a third to $1 million due to lack of casino revenues which help fund purses.

Racing plans in states bordering PA

Parx Casino And Racetrack

Parx Casino Horse Racing Schedule

• New York: Allowed to reopen June 1, but each track will set its own resumption date.
• New Jersey: July 3 is listed for Monmouth Park. Freehold has no information posted. Update May 29: The Meadowlands has resumed racing. NJ. Gov. Phil Murphy gave the go-ahead for all tracks on May 29.
• Delaware: Delaware Park‘s opening day is now listed as June 17.
• Maryland: Laurel Park reopens May 30. No word yet on Pimlico.
• West Virginia: Charles Town reopened for live racing at 7 p.m. May 14, and Mountaineer Park will follow later in May.
• Ohio: Just got approval to reopen all tracks on May 22.

Parx Racing Pennsylvania

PlayPennsylvania will continue to update with the latest in racing reopening plans, so check back often.