by Tom LaMarra, USTA Web Newsroom Correspondent

Columbus, OH — Three harness tracks in Ohio appear well on their way toward forming a year-round racing circuit.

All seven Ohio tracks submitted requests for 2015 racing dates to the Ohio State Racing Commission, which released them at its Aug. 27 meeting. The OSRC must approve the schedules, and the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association must sign off as well.

Scioto Downs Racino applied for 100 programs from May 1-Sept. 26. Miami Valley Gaming & Racing is seeking 75 nights of racing from Feb. 1-May 3, and Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway, which will open this fall for live racing, wants to race 75 programs from Sept. 9-Dec. 30.

Hard Rock Rocksino at Northfield Park would continue to race year-round. It applied for 214 programs from Jan. 1-Dec. 30.

The OSRC noted there are 10 days of overlap. The Miami Valley meet would end the weekend Scioto Downs plans to open, and the Dayton meet would begin a few weeks before the scheduled end of the Scioto Downs meet.

Scioto Downs, which will race 100 days this year, offers the highest average daily purses of any Ohio harness track.

“With the advent of three harness tracks (with video lottery terminals), we have the concept of forming a circuit,” OSRC chairman Robert Schmitz said. “(The object) is not to have tracks racing on top of one another. I think the principle of not overlapping racing dates makes a lot of sense.”

Ohio tracks by law are required to increase racing dates depending on the level of VLT revenue. However, with OHHA approval, they can race fewer days to avoid overlaps and maintain or increase purse payouts.

Thus far it appears the tracks and horsemen agree on the circuit concept. Scioto Downs, Miami Valley and Dayton form a triangle in the central and southwestern portions of the state and aren’t located that far apart.

In other business the OSRC approved a request by the OHHA to shift $1.3 million in purse money from Miami Valley, Northfield and Scioto Downs in large part to support the Sept. 27 Super Night at Scioto Downs. Each of eight championship finals for 2&3-year-old trotters and pacers will go for $200,000.