Harrisburg, PA — Hollywood Casino at The Meadows will once again offer a later first post time on Fridays for roughly four months in 2022 under a schedule approved by the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission March 29.

Live racing will begin at 5:10 p.m. every Friday from May 6 through Sept. 2 for a total of 18 programs that will stretch into the evening. The Meadows will be on a Wednesday-through-Saturday schedule during those months.

The Pennsylvania track last year experimented with a late-afternoon first post time (4 p.m.) to serve as a lead-in to weekends and also to put a spotlight on Embers, an outdoor bar complete with fire pits located on the apron just outside the simulcast area. Officials late last year indicated it was successful in putting new eyes on the harness racing product and probably would return for 2022.

Scott Lishia, director of racing at The Meadows, told the commission at the March 29 meeting management hopes to build upon evening events at the facility on those Fridays. He said The Meadows is purchasing a food truck and a beverage truck to expand services on the apron during live racing.

Barry Brown, director of racing operations at Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack, told the PHRC the second of two qualifying programs before the racing season begins April 3 was completed earlier in the day. Seven qualifiers were held.

“We’re looking forward to a good meet,” Brown said. “The track has been great over the first two qualifying days.”

In other business at the meeting, Tom Chuckas, the PHRC Thoroughbred bureau director, said that over the previous 30 days officials had conducted 168 out-of-competition tests as part of the ongoing enforcement program. On the Standardbred side, 70 samples were taken at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and two training centers in Harveys Lake and Wind Gap, and 26 at The Meadows. The remaining 72 tests were conducted at Parx Racing.