Stands at the Dresden Raceway may be empty for this weekend's opening day but the stalls won't be.
Sunday's first race will be a little different for everyone involved due to restrictions and safety measures in place because of COVID-19.
“It will be different with no fans at Dresden,” said driver Tyler Borth in a statement. “It’s a track where you can feel the excitement of the fans because they are so close to the track.”
Qualifiers were held on May 31 under new protocols. Gary Patterson, a racetrack facilitator and announcer, said although it's different, excitement levels are still high.
"The horse people who work so hard all the time... they're getting back to work, back to the track, and they have the ability to earn some money now," he said. "We have over $41,000 worth of purses up for grabs in Sunday's racing. The only downside is people can't come and watch live."
Spectators will instead be able to live stream races through the Dresden Raceway's website. Live viewing and wagering will be available on the HPI Network. Americans will also be able to participate through betting sites, Twin Spires, TVG, and Ibet.com.
"We won't be able to track [the number of] viewers per se but we will be able to track the amount of money that is bet on Dresden Raceway, and we will have that on a daily basis for every card of racing," said Patterson. "I know that people have a thirst that needs to be quenched for harness racing -- for horse racing so I'm hoping that we can at least give a little bit of a drink for those people who wish to bet."
Dresden Raceway will have nine live race cards starting June 7 through August 3 with a post time set for 1 p.m.
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