BENSALEM, Pa--Racing, closed since March, is at last scheduled to reopen at both Penn National and Parx.
Penn National's first day of racing is Friday, June 19, and the condition book is now out.
Penn will race Wednesdays and Fridays for two weeks with nine races a day, four of which will be turf races, and then will start racing three days a week after the two week period.
Ship-ins will be allowed, but preference will go to horses stabled at Penn National.
Parx announced on June 11 that live racing would resume on Monday, June 22, with plans to race Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays, and the first day to enter horses will be Wednesday, June 17th.
"The protocols were approved a 8 pm. on June 10,: said Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association President Sal DeBunda, adding that it is very important to implement and maintain those protocols of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.
"WE OPEN at Parx June 22," said DeBunda. "We tried to do it earlier, but that just didn't work out. Thepurses will be $180,000 per day and we'll race three days a week. We could have left thepurses the way they were before we closed, but then we could only have raced two days a week and it was decided it would be better to give more people a chance to race."
"I hope the casinos will reopen soon," said DeBunda. "I expect the owner's bonus to be between 20 and 40 percent. We will still have Pennsylvania Day at the races but it hasn't been decided when yet."
"There will be safety inspetors at each track," said De Bunda. "If they see someone breaking the protocols, they can expel them. I'ts very important to observe and maintain theprotogols."
"This is a day to be happy and celebrate," said DeBunda. "We are finally reopening."