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Top North American pacers align for Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial at Saratoga15 August 2013SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (PRESS RELEASE) -- Saratoga Casino and Raceway will welcome several of the North American standard-bred industry's most heralded individual performers, with the running of the fifth annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Free for All (FFA) Pace on Saturday, Aug. 17. In the past, the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memoral has been held as a series of legs, culminating in the finals. This year, the memorial pace features one dash for $275,000. First post-time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., and race fans in attendance will receive a coupon redeemable for a commemorative 2013 "Gerrity Night" t-shirt with purchase of a $2 program. The Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial FFA Pace is comprised of an elite eight horse field with combined lifetime earnings in excess of $11 million, headlined by leading North American trainer Ron Burke's Foiled Again, a winner of over $550,000 in 2013 with a mark of 1:48. Another entry of note is Peter Foley's Bolt the Duer, a winner of $334,000 in 2013 with a mark of 1:47.4. Saturday's Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial will mark the third time these two marquee pacers have crossed paths, with Bolt The Duer coming out on top in both the William R. Haughton Memorial, and the United States Pacing Championships, each taking place earlier in 2013 at The New Meadowlands. "Between The Gerrity Memorial and Saturday's undercard, which features two Sire Stake events headlined by New York's top 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers, it is safe to say the Saratoga Raceway track record of 1:51 is in serious jeopardy," said Don Hoover, race secretary at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Memorial was created in 2009 as a pacing series honoring the memory of Joe Gerrity, Jr. and his many contributions. A highly respected leader, inspiration and an icon for Saratoga Raceway and the horse racing industry, he was a breeder of horses in Loudonville, a licensed harness driver and became Chairman of the Board of Saratoga Harness Racing, Inc. (now Saratoga Casino and Raceway) on April 1, 1987. Mr. Gerrity later oversaw the expansion of the facility and the installation of video gaming machines, funding the project in part himself. He also served as a director for the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State for 20 years, and also acted as treasurer for much of that time. Mr. Gerrity passed away in October of 2005. |