Penn National prepares for winter

GRANTVILLE, Pa. -- The winterization of the racing surface at Penn National Race Course will be completed in about two weeks, track superintendent Bob Beaubien said.

"We started by removing about 1 inch of the cushion from the track and storing it for next spring. This takes us down to about 3 1/4 inches of cushion, and this will now be supplemented with about 1,000 tons of a special sand that will gradually be added over the next two weeks."

The exchange of cushion for sand is done with the intent of reducing the clay content in the surface. This will allow for quicker drainage and not quite as heavy a racing surface when salt is added, as needed, during the winter season, track officials said.