Pinnacle asks for 71 days for 2009

Pinnacle Race Course has requested 71 dates for the 2009 season. A formal hearing to discuss dates for all of Michigan's tracks was scheduled for Thursday in the racing commissioner's office in Lansing. Pinnacle is the first Thoroughbred track in the Detroit metropolitan area since Detroit Race Course closed following the 1998 season.

The 71 dates represent a slight increase from the 63 dates this season, which ends on Nov. 2. Next year's requested meet would start on June 5 and run through Oct. 10, according to Liana Bennett, a spokeswoman for racing commissioner Christine White.

* Post time has been moved up to 1:35 p.m. for the rest of the meet, with racing on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday. The exception is closing day, Nov. 2, when first post will be 12:35 p.m.