Saratoga Springs, NY — On Saturday (July 20), Saratoga Casino Hotel will welcome some of the country’s top harness racing talent for the 11th edition of its biggest race — the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace. This year’s pace features a $260,000 purse, with nearly $500,000 in total purses throughout the evening.

The 2019 Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace features a balanced, high-quality field of eight elite horses competing for $260,000. Notable entries include McWicked, who has amassed more then $4 million in lifetime earnings, and This Is The Plan, who was an impressive winner last month in the $500,000 Ben Franklin at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono.

The career earnings of all the horses in Saturday’s pace total more than $9.5 million.

The $260,000 Memorial Pace is set for the seventh race of the evening’s card.

“We have an incredibly competitive field for our marquee race of the year,” said John Matarazzo, Director of Racing Operations at Saratoga Casino Hotel. “We look forward to welcoming our fans for what will surely be another memorable night at our 11th edition of the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace.”

A number of exciting promotions await fans in attendance for the Gerrity including a free commemorative 2019 Gerrity Night t-shirt with the purchase of a $2 race program, while supplies last.

A new caveat to the wagering card for this year’s Gerrity will include the Cross Country Pick-5. The wager will include four legs of races from other tracks, including Saratoga Race Course, leading up to the Gerrity Memorial Pace. The wager is exclusive to SaratogaBets members, who will also enjoy a 10 percent winners bonus on all Saratoga Harness wagers placed on property during Saturday’s Gerrity Memorial Pace.

The first post time for Saturday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. As always, parking and admission are free.

The memorial pace was created in 2009 as a dedication to Joe Gerrity, Jr. — a highly respected figure in the area’s equine development and an integral leader of Saratoga Harness. Gerrity was a breeder of horses in Loudonville and a licensed harness driver before becoming Chairman of the Board for Saratoga Harness Racing, Inc. in 1987. He later oversaw the expansion and development of the facility as it became the premier property to feature video lottery terminals in New York State. Mr. Gerrity passed away in October 2005.