The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission Nov. 30 approved 2022 racing dates for Parx Racing and Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course and will address an application from Presque Isle Downs & Casino at its Dec. 14 meeting.
Parx was awarded 151 racing programs from Jan. 3-Dec. 28. The submission by the track is similar to that of 2021, with live racing Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week with a two-week break in action the second and third weeks of August, and live racing Saturday, Sept. 24, which is Pennsylvania Derby day.
PHRC member Sal DeBunda, President of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, said horsemen and management agreed to six Saturday programs in 2022 but with the exception of Sept. 24 they do not appear on the submitted calendar. DeBunda and Parx Chief Operating Officer Joe Wilson said Wednesdays would be dropped on weeks when there is racing on Saturday, such as Triple Crown days.
The PHRC will address the schedule changes at the Dec. 14 meeting. First post at Parx will be the customary 12:25 p.m. (winter and late fall) and 12:55 p.m. the rest of the year.
Penn National requested and was approved for 150 programs from Jan. 4-Dec. 30 with live racing Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from January through March and October through December. From April through September, racing will be offered Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. A program on Saturday, June 11, which is Belmont Stakes day, will replace Wednesday that week.
First post time with the exception of June 11 will be 6 p.m. all year. The Penn Mile stakes program is set for Friday, June 3.
