from Miami Valley Raceway

Lebanon, OH — With Miami Valley Raceway’s third live racing season rapidly approaching, 30 late closing series have been unveiled and are now available at the southwest Ohio track’s website under the Racing/Horsemens Info tabs. The series are spread over the course of the four-month, 86-program meet which will feature record purses more than 30 percent higher than in 2015.

Racing will be conducted five days a week from Jan. 9 through May 9 with new post times for 2016. Afternoon matinees will be presented every Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 2:05 p.m., with evening cards beginning at 6:05 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

The track surface has recently undergone preventative maintenance with two inches of old top dressing removed, down to six inches above the base, and a new more pervious grade of stone added.

“This material offers more versatility in freeze/thaw environments and will prove itself at the timer, too,” remarks recently-hired Track Superintendent Jimmy Shelton, who oversaw the project.

New wagering opportunities await patrons including the addition of rolling daily doubles on races one through seven, a 50-cent Lucky Pick-5 (with an industry low 12 percent takeout) beginning on race eight, and a 10-cent Buckeye Hi-5 on the 12th. The latter two new wagers have carryover provisions until a winning ticket is sold which potentially creates rewarding jackpot pools which attract new interest in the product.

Race Secretary Gregg Keidel believes “The purse structure for the 2016 meet makes Miami Valley one of the most attractive racing opportunities in North America. The condition sheet, which will be released soon, should entice owners and trainers competing here to explore ways to upgrade their stables in an effort to get their share of the pie.”

Helen Carlo, MVG’s Racing Operations Manager, reports “Our third consecutive year of higher purses is driven by the continued success of our property’s VLTs. It is a pleasure to see our Ohio-based horsemen rewarded.”

Those sentiments are echoed by OHHA Track Representative Brett Merkle, who states “Horsemen seem excited about the upcoming meet at Miami Valley. With the increasing amount of money up for grabs, it only makes sense that many are looking for more and better horses to race.”

A deep and talented drivers’ colony is expected including all of last year’s top reinsmen plus approximately a half-dozen newcomers. It is anticipated that the top 15 drivers, while relatively young in age to other top circuits, will be one of the few who sport about 50,000 combined victories.

Other highlights will include the $35,000 finals of the James K. Hackett Memorials for Ohio-sired sophomore pacing colts and fillies, multiple $40,000 divisions of first leg Ohio Sires Stakes races for 3-year-old pacers and trotters, and a pair of $100,000-plus Grand Circuit races for the continent’s best pacing and trotting mares on closing day.