by Tom Kelley, publicity director, Balmoral Park

Crete, IL — The 2015 racing season kicks off in earnest on Thursday, Jan. 29, at Maywood Park as the half-mile oval jumps back into its familiar Thursday-Friday live racing schedule.

Maywood Park photo

Maywood Park’s 2014 leading trainer Perry Smith (left) and leading driver Casey Leonard (right) are joined in the winner’s circle by Maywood Park’s Doc Narotsky and Duke Johnston. Both Smith & Leonard, who also took home top honors at Balmoral Park, will be busy on Thursday’s Maywood Park card.

Right from the start bettors will have a chance to play into what will hopefully become the “norm” at Maywood Park as the Pick-6 wager features a carryover of $2,329.00. There will also be a mandatory payoff on the Pick-6 wager on Friday, Jan. 30 as Maywood Park will debut its new .20 Cent Jackpot Pick-6 wager starting on Thursday, Feb. 5.

The new .20 Cent Jackpot Pick-6, which became wildly popular at Gulfstream Park’s thoroughbred meet, should help spur plenty of carryovers as it requires a bettor to hold the ONLY ticket with all six winners from the designated Pick 6-races.

When there is no single winner in the Jackpot Pick 6, 50% of the pool will be paid out to those with the most winners while the remaining 50% goes back into the carryover pool.

The .20 Cent Jackpot Pick-6 is scheduled to be contested on races one through six on Thursday’s and races three through eight on Friday’s at Maywood Park. Post time for the opener each night will be 7:10 p.m. (central).

Balmoral Park will return to live racing on Saturday, Jan 31 with a post time of 7:10 p.m. (central) as well. There will be no live racing at the Crete oval on Sunday, Feb. 1 due to the Super Bowl. Balmoral is then scheduled to race Saturdays and Sundays throughout the 2015 season.