Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Invites Public to Enjoy Premier Harness, Horse Racing Events on July 31

Adios Final, Governor's Cup Races Offer a Combined $700,000 in Purses

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said today that this weekend will bring an opportunity for Pennsylvanians to enjoy live harness and horse racing, as two of the state's marquee racing events will take place on Saturday, July 31.

The 45th running of the $500,000 Delvin Miller Adios Final harness race takes place at The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington, Pa., and wraps up the annual Adios Week celebration. A field of nine standardbred race horses will compete for the half-million-dollar prize.

Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Dauphin County, will host the 38th Governor's Cup, worth $200,000. The 12-horse race is the capstone event of the Governor's Cup Thoroughbred Racing Festival, which takes place today and Saturday.

"The Adios and Governor's Cup races are two of Pennsylvania's marquee annual events and highlight the proud traditions of harness and horse racing in the state," said Redding, who will attend the Governor's Cup race. "This weekend will showcase the thrills that live harness and thoroughbred racing can provide. They are also a lot of fun to attend and help draw in a new generation of live racing fans and industry stakeholders."  

Since the passage of the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act in 2004, purses in Pennsylvania have grown significantly, which attracts better harness and thoroughbred race horses and more accomplished horsemen.

Purses in Pennsylvania for harness racing in 2009 were $108 million and each of the three harness tracks rank among the top seven in North America for purse payments. In 2009, thoroughbred racing purses in Pennsylvania topped $116 million, an increase of $64 million since 2006.

In addition to purse values raising the profile of racing in Pennsylvania, the state has launched a multi-faceted marketing campaign at www.trackpackpa.com and through social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The innovative outreach effort encourages new fans to experience the distinctive entertainment that racetracks have to offer.

For more information, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us, click on "Bureaus, Commissions and Councils" and select "Pennsylvania Racing Commission."

Media contact: Justin Fleming, 717-787-5085

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture