by Dan Leary, USTA director of marketing and communications

Columbus, OH — The United States Trotting Association Strategic Wagering Program is joining forces with the Daily Racing Form to promote 41 of harness racing’s most important stakes races on 28 dates at 15 racetracks across the country in 2013.

As part of the sponsorship agreement, Daily Racing Form will publish past performances for each of the 41 major stakes races, as well as race analysis and Strategic Wagering promotional information, in their national print edition on those race days.

Also, each participating racetrack will have the opportunity to supplement this print campaign with additional online support on DRF.com.

“We are pleased to partner with the Daily Racing Form in spotlighting our major stakes races,” said USTA Director Chris Schick, who manages the Strategic Wagering Program. “With this promotional and editorial support from DRF, we will showcase our biggest races to their well-established Thoroughbred audience and demonstrate the excitement and value in wagering on harness racing.”

“Daily Racing Form is committed to help expand the harness racing fan base through our print, digital and mobile platforms,” said John Hartig, CEO, Daily Racing Form. “The cross-over opportunity is exciting as DRF’s loyal players are always looking for quality wagering action, which these major harness race days offer.”

In addition, the Daily Racing Form will provide expanded coverage that includes past performances for all 12 Breeders Crown races at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Saturday (Oct. 19).

The $200,000 Dan Patch Invitational at Hoosier Park on Saturday (May 25) and the $250,000 Maxie Lee Memorial at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday (May 26) kick off the program this weekend. On each weekend day, there will be a two-page spread with analysis from Daily Racing Form’s Managing Editor-Harness Derick Giwner, promotion of Strategic Wagering guaranteed pool wagers and the complete past performances for each featured race.

At Hoosier Park this Saturday, there will be a Strategic Wager $25,000 guaranteed superfecta on the Dan Patch, the 11th race on the card, as well as a $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 anchored by the Dan Patch on races 8-11. DRF.com features a special Dan Patch event page which is available at this link.

On Sunday, two $250,000 stakes highlight the Harrah’s Philadelphia $15,000 guaranteed Pick-4 Strategic Wager on races 9-12 with the Betsy Ross Invitational as the 10th race and the Maxie Lee the fourth and final leg in race 12.

The U.S. Trotting Association, in cooperation with its member tracks, established the USTA Strategic Wagering Program in April 2011 to provide value to horseplayers by guaranteeing the size of designated betting pools. Since its inception, the Strategic Wagering Program has provided guaranteed wagers at 24 different racetracks and has averaged 90 wagers per month. The responsibility for these guarantees is shared equally by the USTA, the track hosting the wager, and on some occasions, the local horsemen’s association.

Following is the complete USTA Strategic Wagering–Daily Racing Form schedule:

Day-Date-Track-Race
Sat. May 25–Hoosier Park–Dan Patch
Sun. May 26–Harrah’s Philadelphia–Maxie Lee
Sat. June 1–Yonkers Raceway–Art Rooney
Sun. June 9–Tioga Downs–TBD (Bettor’s Delight or Artiscape)
Fri. June 21–Maywood Park–Maywood Pace
Sat. June 29–Pocono Downs–Ben Franklin
Sat. July 13–Meadowlands–Meadowlands Pace
Sat. July 20–Northfield Park–Battle of Lake Erie
Sat. July 27–The Meadows–Adios
Sat. July 27–Yonkers Raceway–Yonkers Trot
Sat. Aug. 3–Meadowlands–Hambletonian
Sat. Aug. 17–Pocono Downs–TBD (Colonial or Battle of the Brandywine)
Sun. Aug. 25–Vernon Downs–Zweig
Mon. Sept. 2–Tioga Downs–Cane Pace
Fri. Sept. 6–Vernon Downs–TBD (Muscle Hill or Credit Winner)
Sat. Sept. 14–Balmoral Park–TBD (Super Night)
Sat. Sept. 16–Harrington Raceway–Quillen Memorial
Wed. Sept. 18–Delaware–Jugette
Thurs. Sept. 19–Delaware–Little Brown Jug
Sat. Sept. 28 or Sun. Sept. 29–The Red Mile–TBD (Bluegrass)
Sat. Oct. 5–The Red Mile–Tattersalls Pace
Sun. Oct. 6 –The Red Mile–Kentucky Futurity
Sat. Oct. 19–Pocono Downs–Breeders Crown
Sat. Nov. 2–Hoosier Park–TBD (Monument Circle or Indiana Derby)
Sat. Nov. 2–Yonkers Raceway–Messenger
Sat. Nov. 9–Balmoral Park–American-National
Fri. Nov. 15–Maywood Park–Windy City Pace
Sun. Nov. 17–Dover Downs–Matron
Sat. Nov. 30–Meadowlands–TBD (FFA Championship or Governor’s Cup)
Sat. Dec. 14–Northfield Park–Cleveland Classic