After being canceled this year (2019), horse racing will probably be back in South Dakota next year.
Fort Pierre race track manager Shane Kramme says the South Dakota Commission on Gaming has approved the Verendrye Benovolent Association’s request to hold horse races Oct. 3 and 4, 2020. But, he says the races will be one weekend instead of two; will be held in the fall rather than the spring; and will only be held in Fort Pierre. In previous years, races were held over four weekends, two each in Fort Pierre and Aberdeen.
Kramme says there will be about a dozen Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred races over the two days offering around $110,000 in prize money.
Neither Fort Pierre nor Aberdeen hosted horse races this year due to lack of funding, wet weather and several other considerations.
