Harrah's Chester to feature 2008 Super Stakes Sunday

Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack has been awarded 140 live racing days for its 2008 season, track officials have announced. The Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission approved the venue’s dates request at its Nov. 20 meeting.

Under the schedule filed with the state, the Chestermeet will commence Sunday, April 20, and continue through Thursday, Dec. 18. Racing will be conducted on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. First post time will be 12:25 p.m. (ET).

Highlighting the session will be the second edition of the Ben Franklin Free-For-All Pace on Sunday, June 15. The Ben Franklin boasts a newly increased purse of $500,000, and was captured this year by multi-millionaire Boulder Creek, who prevailed after a stretch battle with Lis Mara.

Starting off the 2008 season will be the Betsy Ross FFA Mares Pace with eliminations on Sunday, April 20. The $250,000 final will be Sunday, April 27. On Sunday, May 18, free-for-all trotters in the Maxie Lee Memorial eliminations, with the $250,000 final set for Sunday, May 25.

Racing fans will also want to mark Sunday, Aug. 17, on their calendars, as Harrah’s Chester presents its “Super Stakes Sunday” card, featuring finals of the $500,000 Battle Of The Brandywine (3-year-old pacers), the $500,000 Colonial (3-year-old trotters), and the $350,000 Valley Forge (3-year-old filly pacers). Both the Battle Of The Brandywine and the Colonial each will feature a $200,000 and $100,000 consolation. The Valley Forge will have $150,000 and $75,000 consolations.

There will be no eliminations for the 3-year-old events on “Super Stakes Sunday.” Starters for the finals will be determined by 2008 earnings at the time of declaration, with the top eight advancing directly to the final. The next eight highest money earners will be eligible to the first consolation, followed by the next eight highest being eligible to the second consolation. Initial nominations to all early-closing events will be due on March 15.

“The idea is to create major race days that are augmented by our strong daily purse structure,” said Mike Tanner, Harrah’s Chester’s director of racing operations. “We’ve seen eight world records set or equaled at Harrah’s Chester since we opened in September 2006, and the quality of our racing product just keeps getting better and better. We’re anticipating big things in 2008.” (Harrah’s Chester)

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