After a one-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Penn Mile will return to the calendar for 2021 and take place on May 28.
Though Pennsylvania casinos are closed, racing at Penn National should be able to continue through January, the horsemen’s chief said.
The horsemen’s groups for Parx Racing and Penn National said in separate statements that they’ve received the state go-ahead to resume racing.
Penn National could reopen for racing as soon as June 19, according to a Saturday tweet from the head of the local HBPA.
Horsemen struck an optimistic tone for the return of Pennsylvania racing at Penn National and Presque Isle after a May 28 meeting.
Penn National’s gate crew staged a strike Saturday, protesting what they called unfair labor practices. But, belatedly, the show went on without them.
The Pennsylvania legislator who sought to raid the Race Horse Development Fund says his effort is “very strong.” Horsemen’s reps counter that it’s “dead.”