Freehold, NJ — After a three-month hiatus, harness racing is set to return to Freehold Raceway on Friday (Aug. 30), when the venerable Freehold, N.J.-based oval kicks off its summer/fall portion of the meet.

Live racing will be conducted every Friday and Saturday, with a first post time of 12:30 p.m. (ET).

The headliners of the schedule include New Jersey Sire Stakes action for 2- and 3-year-olds. The 2-year-old finals are scheduled for September, while the 3-year-old finals will take place in October.

The last weekend of October features the Garden State Trot, carrying a purse of $50,000. The 3-year-old filly division will go on Oct. 25, while the male division is scheduled for Oct. 26.

Freehold will also be home to the eighth annual Open Space Pace day on Sept. 21. The event is dedicated to the preservation and protection of open space in New Jersey. It will kick off with a parade in downtown Freehold, followed by a great day of harness action.

Bettors can expect the same wagering menu as before, including two $1 Pick-3s and two $1 Pick-4s per day. The 50-cent Pick-5 will begin in race five every day. Both the Pick-4 and the Pick-5 have carryover potential.

The draw schedule remains the same: unless announced otherwise, the draw for Friday will take place on Tuesday. Saturday’s draw will be conducted on Wednesday. The entry box will close at 9 a.m. both days. Qualifiers will take place on Fridays; the entry box will close on Thursday at 10 a.m.

The first qualifiers of the season will take place Aug. 23, with eight of them scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m.

Horsemen with questions can contact the racing office at 732.252.2322.