Beulah Park: Meet switches to a four-day week

Beulah Park in Grove City, Ohio, will begin its 89th year Monday.

The barn area is filling up and racing secretary Ed Vomacka is optimistic about the 44-day meet.

“Entries have gone really well so far, and we expect that to continue,” Vomacka said. “We have quite a few outfits coming from Thistledown, so it will really pick up when they are finished up there in November, I would think.”

Beulah is switching to a four-day racing week for the meet, and Vomacka sees that as a huge plus for the racing office.

“We usually fill races pretty well in the fall anyway, so I am hoping the four-day week will help increase our field sizes,” he said. “We are just trying to encourage everyone here to participate.”

Beulah will run Monday through Wednesday and also on Saturdays through Dec. 22.

The stakes schedule is unchanged, with five Ohio-bred stakes being run on Saturdays from Oct. 27 to Nov. 24. Each has a purse of $50,000. The Quarter Horse Congress trials will be held Oct. 15 with the finals Oct. 27.

Leading trainer Joe Woodard will be back to defend his training title along with Charlie Lawson, Doug Cowans, Mike Rone, Ivan Vazquez, and Joe Poole. Trainers returning who have not had stalls recently include Kathy Lowry and Jeff Jones.

The jockey colony will mirror last seasons with Edgar Paucar, Rafael Hernandez, Rodrigo Vergara, and Gabriel Lagunes all returning. Amanda Tamburello will be back after spending the majority of the summer at Prairie Meadows.

The wagering format will remain the same as last season with the 50-cent pick five having a 15 percent takeout. Fifty-cent pick threes and pick fours, 50-cent trifectas, and 10-cent superfectas also will be offered. The pick five will have a 25 percent payout if nobody selects all five, with 75 percent of the pool going to a carryover.

The racing surface was totally refurbished last year and has held up well, according to Vomacka.

“We have had quite a few horses working in the morning, and I have heard nothing but good things about the track surface,” he said. “Everybody is upbeat, and we are looking forward to a good meet.”