AHDC donates $5,000 to Harness Museum on Freehold closing night

FREEHOLD, N.J.— Apropos to the historic final day of harness racing at Freehold Raceway, the American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) presented a $5,000 donation to the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame during the last card last Saturday (Dec. 28).

Following the fourth race on the 11-race card won by John Urbanski trainee Girl Almighty, AHDC President Anthony Verruso joined a packed winner’s circle to present the $5,000 check to the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, which is located in Goshen, N.Y. and works to preserve and promote the history, as well as the sport, of harness racing.

“It’s a bittersweet moment,” Verruso said. “Of course we’re thrilled to support an institution like the Hall of Fame for all the important work they do to promote our sport, and at least on a day like this last day of racing we had a good crowd come out to see this sport we all know and love. We’re happy to do our part in helping this sport, and we’ll miss not just getting to compete here at Freehold, but just racing here in Freehold altogether.”

The AHDC is composed of amateur drivers, which means they do not retain the driver’s share of purse earnings from races. Instead, that money is retained and donated to charities ranging from racehorse aftercare to cancer research and community outreach. In 2024, the AHDC donated nearly $20,000 to various charities by racing across the mid-Atlantic and Canada.

by Ray Cotolo, for the AHDC