Presque Isle Downs near Erie, Pa., a racino with more than 2,000 slot
machines and 48 table games, will begin a 100-day meet Tuesday that
runs through Oct. 1.
The biggest change to the racing schedule is
that the track’s signature event, the Presque Isle Masters, has been
upgraded to a Grade 2 from a Grade 3. The $400,000 Masters, a 6
1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, will be run over the Tapeta
surface on Sept, 10.
Business has been good at the casino. Purses
will be up approximately 10 percent this meet and average just under
$188,000 a card. Purses at Presque Isle are fueled by slot machine
revenue, but not by the table games.
Another noticeable change for
the track’s fourth season is that Saturday post time has been moved up 2
1/2 hours to 3 p.m. Eastern, The main reason for the change is to give
people the opportunity to use the new picnic area, according to Debbie
Howells, director of racing at Presque Isle Downs.
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