Saratoga Casino Hotel set for the 78th season of harness racing

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. >> Saratoga Raceway’s 78th season of live harness racing will begin this Sunday. Post time is scheduled for noon.

The casino will look to build on the success of last year’s racing season, during which allsource handle exceeded $46 Million and the Saratoga Harness simulcast signal was broadcast to more than 400 outlets worldwide.

Guests in attendance for opening day on Sunday will receive a free Saratoga Harness longsleeve shirt with the purchase of a racing program. All guests who redeem their free shirt coupons will also be entered into drawings in which one winner of a $50 betting voucher will be selected after each race starting with the day’s fourth race.

As part of the celebration, $1 deals will be offered on hot dogs, jumbo pretzels, pizza slices and Pabst Blue Ribbon drafts on both Sunday, Feb. 17 and Monday, Feb. 18. As always, parking and admission are free.

“We’re very excited to welcome fans back for the 78th year of harness racing,” said John Matarazzo, director of racing operations at Saratoga Casino Hotel, in a press release. “We look forward to continuing our tradition of exciting and quality racing here at the historic Spa Oval.”

A highlight of the upcoming racing season will undoubtedly be the 11th annual Joe Gerrity, Jr. Memorial Pace, which will feature one dash for $260,000 on July 20.

Collectively, horsemen will be competing for more than $15 million in purses at Saratoga Casino Hotel in 2019.

Additionally, continued benefits and rewards will be available throughout the 2019 racing season for users of SaratogaBets, the casino’s online interactive wagering platform. For the entire 2019 season, a 10 percent bonus will be added on all winning Saratoga Harness wagers placed on any self-service kiosk with a valid SaratogaBets account. Signing up for a SaratogaBets account is free and can be completed on SaratogaBets.com or in the mezzanine at Saratoga Casino Hotel.

The full 2019 season schedule is available now at SaratogaCasino.com.

LAUREN HALLIGAN - MEDIANEWS GROUP Horses run amidst a snowy backdrop on the first day of the 2017 racing season, at Saratoga Casino Hotel’s harness racing track.

FILE PHOTO Best Shot N (4), with driver Phil Fluet, wins Race 1 over runner-up Hal N Sammy, with driver Jim Devaux on Sept. 14, 2017 at Saratoga Casino Hotel.