River Downs, horsemen reach agreement

Ohio horsemen have agreed to terms with River Downs management as to the number of days the Cincinnati race track will run in 2011. Also in the agreement, signed by both parties Thursday, is the cancellation of both of the track’s premier races, the $100,000 Cradle and $50,000 Bassinet. The purse of each race was reduced by half in 2010.

River Downs will run 93 days in 2011, beginning April 29 and running through Sept. 5. There will be a five-day-a-week schedule, with Monday and Tuesday the dark days.

The track must average 58 horses on the overnight up to July 1 or management has the option to cancel the last five Wednesdays according to the agreement. Management has an option to reinstate the Cradle and Bassinet in future years

The purse structure will remain basically the same as last year, when the daily purse structure was approximately $50,000 per day. The track will up the purse $300 on any race in which seven or more horses are in the post parade.