Washington, PA – Here is this week’s Meadows Monday Memo.
BUSY DAY FOR FRESHMEN TUESDAY
Even though the next pari-mutuel card won’t be until Wednesday (June 10), Hollywood Casino at The Meadows will be busy Tuesday as more than 100 2-year-olds will be taking to the track for qualifying races. A total of 19 qualifying races will be held, with the final 16 strictly for freshmen. Racing fans can watch all of the action live on the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association’s Facebook page. Qualifier video is also archived at www.youtube.com/themsoa. Qualifying races begin at 10:30 a.m. (EDT).
RACING EDUCATION NIGHT SET FOR FRIDAY
Friday evening (June 12) will be a special night at The Meadows, with a family friendly fun night and a chance for patrons to learn more about the sport of harness racing and horse ownership. The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association will host the evening, which will coincide with the first race post for the evening of 5:10 p.m. Trainers will be on hand to meet with racing fans and discuss the sport, including fractional ownership opportunities.
HARNESS RACING LEGEND TO GREET FANS FRIDAY
One of the sport’s top ambassadors, the legendary pacer Foiled Again, will also be on hand to meet racing fans on Friday evening. During his long racing career, Foiled Again, trained for many years through his retirement by Ron Burke, earned more than $7 million, more than any other Standardbred in history. Fans will get the opportunity to get up close and personal with the champion pacer during the race card on Friday.
“NAME THE WINBAK FOAL” CONTEST FRIDAY
Also on Friday evening, on-track patrons will have a chance to not only do a Meet and Greet with a mare and foal from Winbak Farm, they will have the opportunity to give the foal his official U.S. Trotting Association registered name. “Winbak Farm is excited to have a top-notch mare, Exotic Form, and her foal attending the races on June 12. We have to thank Shaffer Standardbreds for making this possible for them to attend, the mare and foal are currently residing at their farm,” said Jack Burke, Winbak Farm General Manager. “Each year we post foals on Facebook for fans to submit name suggestions for and now they can do it in person while watching races at The Meadows.”
The young trotting colt is a son of millionaire Father Patrick, and from the stakes-winning mare Exotic Form. He is a half-brother to 2025 New York Sire Stakes champion Happy Jack B, a winner of more than a half-million dollars in just two seasons of racing. Local racing fans may also remember another of Exotic Form’s offspring, Barn Hall, who raced here for the Randy Bendis Stable and has a mark of 1:53.2 and earnings of over $460,000. The mare and foal will be in a special stall located outside on the track’s apron level throughout the evening. Post time Friday is 5:10 p.m.
HUSTON TO REACH MILESTONE WEDNESDAY
Hall of Famer Roger Huston is set to reach another milestone in his long announcing career on Wednesday (June 10). Huston covered the races on Saturday at The Meadows when track announcer Jeff Zidek was away, and the ninth race was expected to be Huston’s 185,000th career race call. However, inclement weather ended the day’s card prematurely, with only four races taking place prior to the cancelation of the remainder of the card. Huston, who was The Meadows’ full-time announcer for more than four decades, will return to the booth this Wednesday to announce races 1-5 and reach the 185,000 total.