from Freehold Raceway

Freehold, NJ — Freehold Raceway has received approval from the New Jersey Racing Commission to amend their live racing schedule.

Freehold will be dropping three Tuesdays in March and adding three Wednesdays in May. The dates being dropped are March 10, 17 and 24. The added dates are May 6, 13 and 20.

Freehold also announced that it has canceled the James B. Dancer Memorial Stake No. 34 and the Helen Dancer (Filly Division) for 3-year-old pacers for 2009, and terminated their ownership rights to the Freehold Stake No. 28 (Battle of Freehold for 2-year-old pacers and the Molly Pitcher for 2-year-old pacing fillies).

They reserve the right to race the Dancer Memorials in 2010.

Also being canceled are three races that are part of the late closing series, The Frank Rubinetti, The Swing Back and The Windshield Wiper.

According to Director of Racing Karen Fagliarone, “In an effort to maintain our current purse structure, Freehold has canceled several races on our 2009 calendar. We hope to be in a position to restore the Dancer and the late closing races in 2010. All other previously scheduled stakes including New Jersey Sire Stakes and Green Acres will go on as scheduled in 2009.”

Freehold has hosted the Dancer Memorials, named for James and Helen Dancer, the parents of one of harness racing’s greatest legends, Hall of Famer Stanley Dancer, since 1976.

The Battle of Freehold and the Molly Pitcher, formerly known as the Garden State Stakes for 2-year-olds, were originated by Freehold in 1983.

As provided in the racing conditions, nominators to these events will be refunded if the events are canceled.

For more information, contact Freehold Raceway at (732) 462-3800 or the Hambletonian Society, Inc. at (609) 371-2211.