Crowning achievement at Hoosier Park

ANDERSON – Today marks the beginning of a week culminating in the premier harness racing championship, the Breeders Crown, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.

“The fact that the entire focus of harness racing will be totally on Hoosier Park, the fact that these horses are coming from many different parts of the country – it makes it a really, really big deal,” said Rick Moore, vice president and general manager of racing at Hoosier Park.

For the first time in Indiana, and the first time in three decades in the Midwest, Hoosier Park will host the nation’s premier championship standardbred races Saturday and Sunday, bringing more than 100 of the best horses and purses totaling $6 million to the Madison County track.

Beyond bringing the “crème de la crème of horse racing,” both horses and drivers, to Hoosier Park, Moore expects to see more than 1,000 race fans from across the globe at the racino across the weekend.

“This community is going to see lots of folks descending from all parts of North America,” he said.

But the race isn’t just a big deal for Hoosier Park. Hotels and restaurants across the city are preparing for an onslaught of out-of-town customers.

“This is going to have a lot of electricity about it, a lot of energy, a lot of vibe … the whole community will sense something big is happening and it's happening at Hoosier Park,” Moore said.

All of Anderson’s hotels contacted by The Herald Bulletin said they are having a hard time finding room for harness racing fans.

“We have no rooms at all for this weekend,” said Nigel Turner, a booker for Best Western Plus in Anderson.

Ian Wallace, hospitality manager for Buffalo Wild Wings on Scatterfield, said he’s scheduled several more staff members and ordered double the usual number of wings for the upcoming week.

“It’s funny because the casino came to us to let us know what is going on and we are going to make sure we are ready for the higher volume,” Wallace said.

Anderson Mayor Thomas Broderick Jr. said the city is focused on working with the track to ensure that Anderson acts as a welcoming community for harness racing fans from across the world.

“We are proud and excited to be host for the Breeders Crown,” he said. “We want to help to get the word out … and we want our own people to get to enjoy it as well.”

In previous years the Breeders Crown was held at tracks near New York City and Toronto, so Moore said the event offers a perfect chance to show Hoosier hospitality can compete with some of the world’s top entertainment centers.

“That’s pretty hearty company to be keeping,” Moore joked. “We will be hosting an event that was held last year in New York.”

In working to outdo that “hearty company,” Moore said harness racing fans can expect a first-rate experience come championship racing time.

“You are going to see a big emphasis even just when you pull up … you are going to see something big is taking place,” he said.

Leading up to Friday and Saturday’s championship races, Hoosier Park is hosting a wealth of events including a Halloween-themed night Wednesday and a Veterans Appreciation Day on Thursday.

Once the dust is settled and the final piece of the $6 million in purses has been distributed, Hoosier Park President and Chief Operating Officer Jim Brown said, the track has already won.

“A goal was to try and get a Breeders Crown,” Brown said. “We weren’t sure it would be offered to us, but then the Hambletonian Society contacted us. The horsemen voted to dedicate $500,000 of their money to the event and we dedicated $400,000 of our money and said, ‘We want to put on a show.' We want to raise the bar on every aspect of the event.”

Today

Indiana Horse Racing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Breeders Crown post position draw

TUESDAY, OCT 24

Live racing – first post 6:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 25

Fright Night at the Races – 5:30 p.m. – Family Halloween Celebration

Live racing – first post 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, OCT. 26

Crowning Our Heroes – Veterans Appreciation Day

Horsemen’s Welcome Reception – Hoosier Park welcomes Breeders Crown finalists

National FFA Career Success Tours in Breeders Crown Village

Live racing – first post 6:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCT. 27

Breeders Crown Filly and Mare Championship events – first post 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, OCT. 28

Breeders Crown Colt and Gelding Championship events – First post 6 p.m.

By Christopher Stephens | The Herald Bulletin

Reprinted with permission of The Herald Bulletin