(10-25-24) The Warren County Agricultural Society’s board voted this week to evict all 300+ harness racing horses that stable and train at its facility.

The fairgrounds is discontinuing harness racing and ordering renters to vacate due to “overwhelming financial burden.”

Brittany Carlo, who owns 13 horses, told Local 12 News-

“We really are left with nothing other than, ‘You’re an extreme financial burden,’ which doesn’t add up. That’s over $600,000 a year in stall rent. Where is the money going? The bookkeeping is terrible.

It’s a matter of 300 horses with approximately 1,000-1,200 directly impacted people going away. It’s a matter of $803,000 between grain and hay alone being removed from the local agricultural business.”

Fair Board President Dana Letner said that they do plan to move forward with holding the 2025 Warren County Fair (Lebanon, Ohio) on the fairgrounds. Last year the fair was held in mid-July. The only harness racing date last year was on Monday of the fair.

Stateline area fairs, including Mercer and Auglaize County have cut back on race dates during the fair over the years.

This year the Mercer County Fair had just two nights of racing. Including The Signature Series is one of the featured races that is hosted by numerous county fairs.

In Ohio besides numerous county fair tracks Ohio also has several other tracks for harness racing –

  • Eldorado Scioto Downs. 6000 South High Street.
  • Miami Valley Gaming. 6000 SR 63.
  • Northfield Park. 10705 Northfield Rd.
  • Hollywood Gaming – Dayton Raceway. 777 Hollywood Blvd.

One of the most recognized races in all of harness racing is held in September is the ‘Little Brown Jug‘ held in Delaware, Ohio. The first Jug was held in 1946….in 1956 the Jug provided the anchor for the newly designated Triple Crown of Pacing to go along with The Cane Pace at Yonkers (N.Y.) Raceway and the Messenger Stake then at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury, N.Y.

Last year’s Jug winner Captain Albano, was purchased for $150,000 for as a yearling, and with his $287,500 Jug payday, his career earnings exceed $1.2 million.