Rosecroft Raceway prepping for 2021 season

Fort Washington, MD — Live racing action returns to “the Raceway by the Beltway” on Sunday (Oct. 3) for the 23-day fall meet that runs through Dec. 19. Post time is 7:15 p.m. every Wednesday and Sunday.

Rosecroft will have a special live racing program on Saturday (Nov. 6), Breeders’ Cup World Championship Day, and will not race the following Sunday.

The track will be available for training on Wednesday (Sept. 22) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Qualifying races will be held the following Wednesday (Sept. 29) at 11 a.m.

The draw for the opening night program will be Thursday (Sept. 30). The condition sheet will be posted soon. Purses have returned to pre-COVID levels of around $90,000 per night. Bonuses for Maryland owned, sired and bred horses have been raised to 25 percent. The $100 stipend for horses finishing out of the money has also been reinstated.

The Maryland Sire Stakes for all 2-year-old divisions will be contested on three consecutive Sundays — Oct. 10, 17, and 24.

The signature event of the fall meet, the sixth annual $100,000 Potomac Pace, will be held on Sunday (Nov. 14). The second annual “Shipwreck Henry Sacks” Maryland Invitational Memorial Pace will also be on Potomac Pace night with a purse of $25,000.

Closing night will feature $20,000 Maryland Invitationals for trotters and male and female pacers.

Lisa Watts, seasoned Director of Operations for the Stronach Groups’ only harness racing property is looking forward to another successful racing season.

“We are excited to welcome back our racing fans who were unable to attend the live racing programs in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re hoping things return to normal so everyone can enjoy some great racing this fall at Rosecroft.”

Racing applications for the fall meet can be downloaded at www.rosecroft.com, and are due by Tuesday (Sept. 28).

by Pete Hanley, for Rosecroft Raceway