Live thoroughbred horse racing starts in Austintown
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On Monday, the public is invited to experience the thrill of thoroughbred racing at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Austintown.
The horses will be racing around a one mile oval race track that is 80 feet wide, and the home stretch is 1,000 feet long. Eight races with full fields are set for Monday's opening day.
Each thoroughbred is owned independently. There are 988 stalls on the property, and already more than 700 horses on site.
Folks in the region who have been betting on the simulcast races from around the country since Hollywood Gaming opened in Austintown are excited about race day.
Stephen Bubon, from Warren, said, "Monday on the first day, I will be here. Saturday, I have a table for six reserved and it's my brother's birthday. Although he doesn't gamble much, he is excited about coming."
"There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at noon Monday, and at 12:45 pm the first race ever is expected to take off, making history in the Mahoning Valley. There are not a lot of new horse racing tracks being built in the country," said Lowe. "I don't know how many people we are expecting, but it will be crowded, and there will be a lot of excitement!"
A track maintenance team will work to make sure the track is maintained and safe for the horses and the jockeys who ride them.
The racing season runs through the end of December and picks back up again on January 5, running until April 25.