The New Jersey Racing Commission has awarded 2010 racing dates that closely resemble those of this year. There will be 147 Thoroughbred programs at three tracks and 310 harness programs at two tracks.
Atlantic City Race Course will kick off the Thoroughbred season with six days of all-turf racing: April 18-20 and April 22-24.
Monmouth Park follows with a 93-day meet that begins May 8 and concludes Sept. 26. In May, racing will be held on weekends only.
A 48-day meet at The Meadowlands begins Sept. 28 and runs through Dec. 4.
Both New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority tracks generally will offer race five days a week. Under an agreement with the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Monmouth and The Meadowlands combined must schedule 141 days of racing a year.
The harness season begins Jan. 1 at The Meadowlands and Freehold Raceway. The Meadowlands will offer 142 programs from Jan. 1-Aug. 21 and Dec. 10-31. Freehold will race Jan. 1-June 5 and Aug. 12-Dec. 31 for a total of 168 days.
Next year is the final year of a three-year, $90-million purse subsidy paid by Atlantic City casinos to the racing industry. A governor-appointed committee in 2010 is supposed to issue recommendations on how to ensure the future of the horse racing industry in the state.
