by Matt Sparacino, publicity director, Harrington Raceway
Harrington, DE — Harrington Raceway’s 72nd year of live harness racing will kick-off Monday (April 9) with a 13-race program starting at 5 p.m.
Reigning leading driver Victor Kirby and last season’s top trainer Brian Malone will both be back in action on the opening day program.
The wagering format is the same as last year with an Early Pick-4 in race three and the Late Pick-4 in the last four races. If there is a carryover after the Early Pick-4, it will transfer to the Late Pick-4.
The fifth race feature is a $16,000 Open event for pacers. A hard hitting group of seven seasoned horses will go post ward. Two horses are coming off wins in their most recent starts at Dover Downs, as Chrissy Crissman and Joan Hamstead’s Im Supersonic A (4-1, Sean Bier) and Gary Ewing’s Star Messenger (4-1, Tony Morgan) each will be vying for repeat victories.
The task will be a tall one however as Open-type stalwarts Soto, owned by Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar Jr., and Steve Iaquinta, and Super Imposed N, owned by Mike Hall and David Hamm, are among other contenders in the field.
The 2017 USHWA Delaware Valley Harrington Horse of the Meet, Papa Ray (5-2, Kirby), drew the rail in the sub-featured fourth race, an $11,000 conditioned event in pursuit of his 45th career win for trainer Wayne Givens. He will be opposed by another venerable pacer, 10-year-old Special T Rocks, who took his seasonal mark over the Harrington half-mile in 2017 and has racked up 52 career wins for trainer Joe Hundertpfund Jr.
Live racing will be conducted on a Monday through Wednesday schedule until June 27, when there will be a customary summer break.
For clubhouse reservations, please call 302.398.5928.