Of Pa.-breds and PARX

     There is good news for owners and breeders of Pennsylvania-bred horses.  In addition to the restricted races being currently carded at Penn National Race Course, there will soon be restricted races added to the next condition book at Philadelphia Park, according to Brian Sanfratello, newly elected president of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association.

     Sanfratello, who worked closely with the racing office at Philly Park as well as the head of its horsemen's association to bring this development about, said the restricted races will be written for 3-year-olds and 3-year-olds and up, while in the latter part of the year races for 2-year-olds will be written.  The purse structure will be the same as that for "open" races, with the main difference being that the owner bonus is not paid.

     This positive news is not only good for the state's owners and breeders, but for those who sell Pennsylvania-breds at auction, as a restricted program only enhances their value.

* * * *

     I was pleasantly surprised this morning to see horse racing being advertised on the large video boards at Parx Casino in Bensalem.  The three large boards, which were designed to catch the attention of passing motorists on Street Road, were touting Philadelphia Park's upcoming Happy Hour racing, which begins tomorrow with a first post of 4 p.m.  Last year, Happy Hour racing was well attended, but the crowd did drop off when the track instituted its new policy of not allowing patrons to bring outside alcoholic beverages into the Picnic Grove. 

     The simple fact that horse racing was advertised by Greenwood Racing on the Parx video boards seems like a major victory, and may be in response to Pa. Racing Commission chairwoman Corinne Sweeney's recent directive for Greenwood to acknowledge and publicize that racing is conducted on the property.  Let's hope they continue this trend.