The Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup Handicap, the oldest and most prestigious stakes at Penn National Race Course, once again will be worth six figures as the track doubled the purse to $100,000.
The 36th running of the Governor’s Cup, scheduled for Friday night, Aug. 1, highlights a list of 13 stakes for 2008 released by Penn National on Friday.
The Governor’s Cup has been worth $50,000 since 2002, the same year the distance of the turf race was switched from 1 1/16 miles to five furlongs.
Racing secretary Paul Jenkins also announced the track was reviving the $60,000 Jenny Wade Stakes for fillies and mares. The Jenny Wade, at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, will be contested on July 31.
“The two rich turf races on back-to-back nights certainly present attractive options to horsemen with major stakes barns in the Mid-Atlantic region,” Jenkins said.
The remaining 11 stakes are all restricted to either Pennsylvania-breds or Pennslyvania-sired runners and are worth $75,000 apiece.
That group is highlighted a four-stakes package for Pennsylvania-sired runners on May 30 – the Roanoke, Nepal, Robellino, and Power By Far – representing the richest single night of racing in the track’s history.