by Jerry Connors, for the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission

Harrisburg, PA — The times, they are a’changin’ — not just on the Teletimer, but through the work day pace of harness racing, and that includes stakes dates that are tentatively approved months ahead of time, but then need revision as the real-world exigencies of 2011 emerge.

It seems a good service to relist the PA Sire Stakes days, and the exceptions to the “rule” that the Stallion Series (StS) races are “always” one day before the Sire Stakes (SS). We list the entire four preliminaries for each division, even though many have been contested already, and we highlight information changing from earlier printed schedules, including the USTA Stakes Guide.

2PF – 7-22 StS, 7-23 SS (Meadows); 8-10 StS, 8-11 SS (Chester); 8-17 StS, 8-20 SS (Pocono); 8-29 StS and SS (Meadows)– SS formerly scheduled 8-30.

2PC – 7-1 StS, 7-2 SS (Meadows); 7-20 StS, 7-21 SS (Chester); 8-15 StS, 8-16 SS (Meadows), 8-23 StS, 8-24 SS (Pocono) – events reversed in some publications.

2TF – 6-28 StS, 6-29 SS (Meadows); 8-3 StS, 8-5 SS (Pocono); 8-18 StS, 8-19 SS (Chester); 8-31 StS, 9-2 SS (Meadows).

2TC – 7-18 StS, 7-19 SS (Meadows); 8-2 StS, 8-3 SS (Meadows); 8-9 StS, 8-10 SS (Pocono); 8-25 StS 8-26 SS (Chester).

3PF – 5-9 StS, 5-10 SS (Meadows); 6-16 SS, 6-17 SS (Chester); 7-12 StS, 7-13 SS (Meadows); 8-12 StS, 8-13 SS (Pocono) – formerly 6-28/6-29 at Pocono, where events may be reversed.

3PC –5-7 StS and SS (Chester), 6-2 StS, 6-3 SS (Meadows); 6-21 StS, 6-22 SS (Pocono) – may be reversed earlier; 7-15 StS, 7-16 SS (Meadows).

3TF – 5-31 StS and 6-1 SS (Meadows), 6-24 StS, 6-25 SS (Meadows); 7-4 StS and SS (Chester); 7-19 StS, 7-20 SS (Pocono) – may be reversed earlier.

3TC – 5-16 StS, 5-17 SS (Meadows); 5-30 StS and SS (Chester); 7-15 StS, 7-16 SS (Pocono) – formerly scheduled for 8-26/8-27; 8-9 StS, 8-10 SS (Meadows) – formerly scheduled for 8-10/8-12.

The pari-mutuel Sire Stakes Championships are set for 9-5 for 3-year-olds (Chester) and 9-10 for 2-year-olds (Pocono). These races will also have consolation events scheduled.

The Stallion Series Championships will be held at the Meadows for 3-year-olds on 9-12 and 2-year-olds on 9-13.

The Fair Sire Stakes Championships will be held at the Meadows on 10-8.