Harrisburg, PA — The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission on Monday (Nov. 25) approved 484 racing programs at the state’s three Standardbred tracks for 2020.

The Meadows Racetrack & Casino leads the way with 195 dates, followed by Harrah’s Philadelphia at 150 and The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono with 139. The Pocono number is up six dates from 2019 while the other two are the same as this year.

The Meadows is scheduled to race from Jan. 6-Dec. 30. From January through April, racing will be held Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons with the exception of a one-week break from April 20-24. From May through August, Saturdays will replace Fridays with two exceptions: Friday (May 22), replaces Saturday (May 23); and Friday (Aug. 21), replaces Saturday (Aug. 22), in conjunction with special events in the evening.

The regular Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday schedule returns for September through December. There will be no racing Sept. 21-24, week of the Little Brown Jug.

Harrah’s Philadelphia will race from April 8-Dec. 22 with customary afternoon racing on Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays each month. There will be a handful of Friday evening programs in April, September and October.

Pocono will kick off its season early on Feb. 8 and race through Nov. 14. Racing will be held Saturdays and Sundays beginning at 5 p.m. in February. For the remainder of the meeting, Monday and Tuesday first post is 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday first post is 7 p.m. with the exception of Triple Crown Saturdays, when racing will begin at 7:30 p.m.

March and April will feature racing Saturdays through Mondays, with Tuesdays added in May, June, July, August and September. There will not be racing Sept. 12-14.

In October, racing will be held three days a week on Saturdays, Sundays and Tuesdays, and in November only Tuesdays and Saturdays.

With another 434 racing dates approved for three Thoroughbred tracks, the total number of live racing dates awarded in Pennsylvania for next year is 918.