by Amy Silver, publicity director, Meadowlands Racetrack

East Rutherford, NJ — Meadowlands Racetrack will kick off its 2012 harness meet on Friday, January 6.

Post time is 7 p.m. for the season opener, which also marks the start of the meet-long Free Fridays promotion in which guests receive free admission and live programs. Opening weekend continues with a calendar giveaway on Saturday, January 7. The first 3,000 paid admissions will receive a wall calendar featuring stunning photography of the sport’s greatest horses and drivers in action.

Live racing will run Thursday – Saturday through March 8, then Fridays and Saturdays through June 23. The track will be dark the week of April 22 leading into the start of the Championship Meet on Friday, May 4. The track will resume a three-day schedule June 28-August 4, before concluding the meet with weekend cards August 10-11 and 17-18. With the addition of December 28 and 29, a total of 81 harness dates will be raced in 2012.

Nominations close December 15 for the Meadowlands’ winter late closing program. The form is available online under the Horsemen section at MeadowlandsRacetrack.com. A complete stakes schedule will be released in early December.

Click here to view the 2012 racing calendar: http://www.meadowlandsracetrack.com/calendardates.aspx?id=93