Lone Star Switching to 4-Day Week in 2007

(from Lone Star Park release)
Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie Wednesday was granted 99 live racing dates for 2007, including a 67-date spring Thoroughbred season that will cover 16 weeks from April 12 through July 29.

The Texas Racing Commission also gave Lone Star Park a 32-date fall meeting for American Quarter Horses from Oct. 5 through Dec. 1.

For the first time, Lone Star will run four days a week, Thursday through Sunday, for the duration of its spring meeting. In years past, Lone Star also conducted racing on Wednesdays. Because of the change, Lone Star's season was extended an additional week for 2007.

"This past June and July, we found that the four-day weekly schedule perfectly complemented our horse population and provided an entertaining and competitive racing product," said Lone Star Park President Corey Johnsen. "The results were extremely positive and our average field size during those abbreviated weeks rose to 9.05 horses per race, which greatly benefits the wagering public."

Lone Star Park will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2007. The Grand Prairie, Texas, racetrack ran its first live race on April 17, 1997.

Special racing programs will be held on Memorial Day, May 28, as well as on July 3-4.