The first draw for the upcoming 43rd Dover Downs season takes place this Tuesday, Oct. 25. All horses entered for the Saturday, Oct. 29 opening day card must be submitted by 8 a.m. The box will close at 10 a.m. sharp. In addition, the same time frame on Wednesday. Oct. 26 for entering horses for Sunday, Oct. 30, card. For the Monday, Oct. 31 program, enter on Thursday morning, Oct. 27, from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m.
There will be a double draw on Saturday, Oct. 29, for Tuesday, Oct. 3 and Wednesday, Oct. 4 races.
Race secretary Rod Newhart has stressed that horses for the opening week of racing must be submitted from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. sharp. Late entries will not be accepted.
The daily draw schedule resumes traditions track hours of from 10 a.m. until 12 noon sharp.
Again this meet, qualifying races will be held on Wednesdays starting at 10 a.m. An exception is the first qualifying day draw will be on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Drop in time for qualifying is the previous day from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m.
Trucks and trailers may enter the grounds as early as 8:00 a.m. The track is open for training Monday through Thursday from 8:00a.m. to 12 Noon.
The 2011 Dover Downs meet continues six days at week. Closing day is Thursday, April 12, 2012.
Note that for the first three days, the Dover Downs draw schedule is:
- Tues. 10/25 for Sat. 10/29 – box opens 8 a.m., closes at 10:00am sharp
- Wed. 10/26 for Sun. 10/30 – box opens 8 a.m., closes at 10:00am sharp
- Thurs. 10/27 for Mon. 10/31 – box opens 8 a.m., closes at 10 a.m. sharp
- Fridays – no draw
- On Sat 10/29, there is a double draw for Tues. 11/1 and Wed. 11/ 2
Starting on Sunday, 10/30, the Thursday Nov. 3 draw – and for balance of the meet, unless so indicated – the box opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 12 noon sharp to begin the normal draw schedule.
The regular draw-schedule for the rest of the meet becomes:
- Saturday for Wednesday
- Sunday for Thursday
- Monday for Saturday
- Tuesday for Sunday
- Wednesday for Monday
- Thursday for Tuesday
- The entry box and scratch time is 10 a.m. to 12 noon sharp
Trucks and trailers could be entering the grounds as early as 8:00 a.m. The track is open for training Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. –12 noon. The track is closed Friday and Saturday each week and re-opens for training Sunday at 3 p.m.
Again in 2011, the only dark day for live racing at Dover Downs is Friday. Weekday afternoon post time is 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday racing begins at 5:30 p.m.
During November and December, Dover Downs will present $4.5-million in stakes purses in addition to its regular daily purse structure.
The track’s signature event is the $400,000 (estimated) Progress Pace, in addition to all eight Matron and Progress Pace division eliminations and finals. There are four Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) stakes for two-year-olds beginning with $20,000 preliminaries followed by $100,000 finals. DSBF sophomores return in April for prelims and $100,000 finals.
(Dover)