By T. D. Thornton
Presque Isle Downs will eliminate four dates from its 80-day racing season this year by slicing four late-summer Thursdays off its schedule.
The track received unanimous permission to do so during Tuesday's Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission meeting.
Presque Isle's director of racing, Matthew Ennis, described the track's reasoning for dropping the dates.
“We always take a hard look at our purse funding as we're going throughout our offseason to make sure that we have competitive purses for the upcoming meet,” Ennis said. “We suffered a very poor January as a result of weather, mainly. [And] coming out of January we had discussion with [Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association executive director Todd Mostoller]. In doing some simple math, it was determined that if we were able to eliminate those days we could stay competitive for our daily purses.”
Ennis said it is possible that Presque Isle will consider carding additional races on certain cards to make up for the relinquished dates.
“We have agreed to look at, as we go through our season, adding races to give them back to the horsemen,” Ennis said. “We're hoping for improved results here with our slots revenue.”
The dates that have been abandoned are Aug. 22 and 29 plus Sept. 5 and 12.
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