Simulcast Wagering, Free Admission Weds., May 20 and Other Reduced Days

May 20, 2009 By John Asher

Although there will be no live racing on Wednesday, May 20 at Churchill Downs, the historic track will offer wagering on tracks from around North America at its Trackside at Churchill simulcast center.. Admission gates open at 11:30 a.m. (all times EDT) and patrons will enjoy free admission throughout the day.  

    Post time for the first of the day’s simulcast signals is 12:30 p.m. for Freehold Raceway’s harness program and 12:40 p.m. for Thoroughbreds at Calder Race Course.  Others on the simulcast menu include Belmont Park, Delaware Park and evening racing at Evangeline Downs.  Evening simulcast wagering will continue through 9 p.m.

    Wednesday, May 20 was one of the seven live racing dates dropped from the track’s Spring Meet racing calendar when the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved the track’s request to reduce its spring schedule from 52 to 45 days.  The remaining dates that had been designated for live racing on which Trackside at Churchill will continue to offer simulcast wagering include Thursday, May 28; each Wednesday in June (3, 10, 17 & 24) and Wednesday, July 1.  Admission is free to each session.

    Live racing resumes at Churchill Downs on Thursday, May 21, which will be the first of five consecutive days of racing that will include a Memorial Day holiday program on Monday, May 26.  Post time for Thursday-Monday live racing programs is 12:45 p.m., with the exception the “Friday Happy Hours” program on Friday, May 22 that begins with its first race at 2:45 p.m.