Chester track runs April 20 till Dec. 18

Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack has been awarded 140 live racing days for its 2008 season, track officials have announced.

The Chester meet will commence April 20 and continue through Dec. 18. Racing will be conducted on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The first post time will be 12:25 p.m.

Highlighting the session will be the second edition of the Ben Franklin Free-For-All Pace on June 15. The Ben Franklin boasts a newly increased purse of $500,000 and was captured this year by multimillion-dollar winner Boulder Creek, who prevailed after a stretch battle with Lis Mara.

Starting off the 2008 season will be the Betsy Ross FFA Mares Pace, with eliminations April 20. The $250,000 Final will be April 27. On May 18 is the free-for-all trotters in the Maxie Lee Memorial eliminations, with the $250,000 final set for May 25.

On Aug. 17, the track will host its "Super Stakes Sunday" card, featuring finals of the $500,000 Battle of the Brandywine (3-year-old pacers), $500,000 Colonial (3-year-old trotters), and the $350,000 Valley Forge (3-year-old filly pacers).