The Maine State Harness Racing Commission today released the first draft of proposed race dates for 2011. These are the dates that the venues have submitted to the commission along with their license renewals for 2011.      

The commission will hold a Pre-Hearing Conference on October 27th. It is at this time that any tracks, associations, or persons may make comment on the submitted dates. The tracks will have an opportunity to resubmit the dates for the actual hearing that is scheduled for November 11.

2011 dates show little change. The biggest change is that we will go back under the lights at Bangor Raceway as Friday nights will go with a 6:00 pm post time. Scarborough Downs only tweaked post times slightly.  The fairs are identical from 2010.

An unofficial count of race dates shows Scarborough losing 4 days. That also takes into account two January dates issued to Scarborough in 2010 but not used. The other two disappear due to the way the calendar falls. Bangor stays with 54 days, the same as 2010.