Meadows Monday entry box overflowing with 265 horses

When Director of Racing Tom Leasure opened the entry box for Monday's card at The Meadows, he was greeted with an unprecedented sight--a total of 265 entries, including 69 for the Pennsylvania Sires Stake for freshman pacing fillies.

While The Meadows does not maintain official statistics on entries, track executives believe 265 in the box is a record for a single program.

Leasure attributes the total to heavy interest in Monday's overnight and stake events coupled with three races carried over from Saturday's card when two heavily subscribed Pa. Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotters forced their deferral.

The three freshman Sire Stakes over the Saturday and Monday programs drew 167 entrants spanning 20 divisions.

John Marshall, vice president and general manager of The Meadows racing, said the bustling entry box is part of the “cycle of success” brought to Pennsylvania generally, and The Meadows in particular, by the infusion of slots revenue.

“Even though slots revenue won't enrich the Sires Stake program until next year, our horsemen are thrilled with that prospect and preparing for it now with a great influx of 2 year olds,” he said. “When you factor in the heightened interest in our daily product triggered by our recent purse increase, you have a dynamic and exciting picture.”

He said The Meadows anticipates another purse increase this year, action that will allow the track to continue to upgrade.

The Meadows' temporary casino opened June 11 to rave patron reviews. In anticipation of revenue enhancement from slots, The Meadows implemented a 28 percent across-the-board purse increase in February. Following the Adios doubleheader card on Aug. 11, the grandstand will be razed to make way for a permanent casino. (The Meadows)

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