Delaware Park to race 85 days in 2019

by | Jan 16, 2019 | Breaking, Business, DE Business, Delaware

Delaware Park

Racing at Delaware Park – off in the 2018 Carl Hanford Memorial Stakes. Photo by Allison Janezic.

From a Delaware Park release

Delaware Park and the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (DTHA) announced today the signing of a multi-year agreement and the live racing dates for the 2019 meet.  

The agreement provides for 85 days of live racing for the next three years.   

The 2019 live racing season will open on Saturday, May 4th and close on Saturday, October 5th.  For the first three weeks of the meet, racing will be conducted on Saturdays, Mondays, and Wednesdays.  Thursdays will be added beginning on May 30th and continue through September 26th.  The Grade III Delaware Oaks is scheduled for Saturday, July 6th and the Grade II Delaware Handicap will be run on July 13th.   

“I am pleased and excited to announce the signing of this multi-year agreement,” said Kevin DeLucia, Senior Vice-President of Racing/Finance at Delaware Park.  “We have worked hard to provide exciting racing in the highly competitive Mid-Atlantic region by attracting quality horsemen to Delaware. Having stability and certainty for the next three seasons will help us to continue to build an attractive product.”

D. Scott Peck, President of the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, reinforced the sentiment of consistency and continuity.

“We are very pleased, as we will have live racing on the first Saturday of May to coincide with Kentucky Derby, four additional days of racing and the stability of a three-year contract.” Peck said.