Scioto Downs kicks off 2017 season Tuesday
April 26, 2017,by Jason Roth, for Scioto Downs
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Columbus, OH — With the racing season fast approaching,horsemen are reminded that any horse that wins out of the eight-hole willreceive a 10% bonus and any horse that wins out of the nine-hole will receive a20% bonus. To receive the bonus, the horse must be Ohio sired or fullyOhio owned. Returning to the 2017 Scioto Downs meet will be that anyhorse that finishes in sixth place in a 10 horse field will receive 3% of thepurse. Also on tap, drivers that finish sixth through last place will receive$15.00. For drivers to be eligible to the $15.00, they must be an OHHAmember. Any driver that would like to sign up to be an OHHA member maycontact track rep Brett Merkle.
The condition sheets are available online and in the race officefor the first full week of racing. The first qualifier is scheduled forWednesday, May 3 at 10 a.m. Qualifiers will be regularly scheduled onMondays starting on May eight at 10 a.m.
The Jug Preview was well received in the first year sinceits hiatus 10 years ago. Top three-year-olds (71) were nominated to therace that will be held on closing night, September nighth. Also, on tapfor closing night will be the $225,000 Jim Ewart Memorial. Forty-four ofthe sports best aged pacers have been nominated to the race that took the honorof “Race of the Year” in 2016.
On Saturday, June 10, the top trotters in the country willmake their way to Columbus to compete in the Charlie Hill Memorial for a purseof $200,000. Fourty-five horses were nominated to the Charlie HillMemorial including last year’s winner and aged male trotter of the year,Obrigado. To see all the nominations to races at Scioto Downs, includingthe Ohio State Fair, visit www.sciotodowns.com
Scioto Downs will be racing for over $15 million in purses inthe 2017 racing season. Racing will be held at the Columbus, Ohio ovalTuesdays-Saturdays. Wednesday through Saturday post times will be at 6:30p.m. (EST) while Tuesday and special holiday cards will start at 2 p.m. For a complete race schedule, visit the Scioto Downs website.