Month: March 2021

Caesars Announces $32.5 Million Expansion To Indiana Grand’s Casino

Strengthening its commitment to Indiana, Caesars Entertainment, Inc. shared plans today for a $32.5 million investment to expand and enhance the current casino gaming floor of Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. The expansion is projected to add more than 100 new casino jobs and millions to local and state gaming tax revenues.

Indiana Grand, located in Shelbyville, will add approximately 25,000 square feet to the north end of the casino making room for 100 brand-new slot machines and 25 more table games. Inside the new gaming floor and across the property, guests will enjoy significant updates to design and architectural features.

Additionally, the expanded gaming floor will feature the WSOP Poker Room, a live Poker Room named for and carrying the spirit of the legendary World Series of Poker, the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world. The new WSOP Poker Room will include 20 tables and offer a premium experience with ways to qualify for WSOP land-based tournaments including the Main Event in Las Vegas.

Wilhelm Construction of Indianapolis will begin work on April 1, 2021, with renovations set to be completed by the end of 2021.

Preliminary plans include:

  • A 5,000 square foot WSOP Poker Room featuring 20 tables
  • A 20-seat video poker bar with 65” LCD overhead screens
  • New table games, slots and gaming chairs
  • New design elements throughout the gaming floor
  • New surface parking
  • More than 100 new jobs added to the work force
  • Millions in local and state gaming tax revenue

“This investment at Indiana Grand is a testament to our continued commitment to Indiana,” said Anthony Carano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Caesars Entertainment. “We are dedicated to enhancing and upgrading our operations at all of our locations, and we're excited to start on several new phases of renovation and expansion in Shelbyville.”

“Since the implementation of table games in early 2020, we have looked forward to expanding our gaming operations,” said Mike Rich, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Indiana Grand. “This growth will allow us to accommodate more guests and add more talented Team Members to the Indiana Grand family, and with the addition of a state-of-the-art Poker Room, we will expand our casino offerings to include some of the most notable programs in the United States, including World Series of Poker.”

Additional details on new hospitality, entertainment, and culinary offerings are anticipated in the coming months, subject to City and Indiana Gaming Commission approval. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com/indiana-grand.

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Journeyman Glenn Corbett Achieves 4,000-Win Milestone, Voted Jockey Of The Week

With a career milestone and two stakes wins, veteran jockey Glenn Corbett was voted Jockey of the Week for March 8 through March 14. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Corbett started the week at his winter base of Turf Paradise with achieving his 4,000th career victory aboard Arabian Story for trainer Chad Ferguson on March 8. With the win, Corbett became the 78th jockey to achieve 4,000 lifetime wins.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro engaged Corbett to ride Alberta Sun, the favorite in the field of six, in the Arizona Breeders' Stakes at six furlongs on the dirt March 11. Stumbling at the start, Alberta Sun settled early, raced four wide through the turn and took control at the eighth pole to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:11.09.

California trainer Bob Hess, Jr. gave a leg up to Corbett on It's My House in the Turf Paradise Derby on March 12. The favorite in the field of nine, It's My House pressed the early pace, took the lead into the stretch, dueling with Tony's Tapit until late in the stretch winning by three-quarters of length in 1:45.05 for 1-1/16 miles on the dirt.

The very definition of a “journeyman jockey,” Corbett has raced at more than 35 tracks over his distinguished career that started in 1985 with his first career win at Penn National.

“I go to work and chip away,” said Corbett.

He now splits his riding mainly between Turf Paradise in the winter and Prairie Meadows the rest of the year.

“It's a great circuit for me, I can work year-round,” Corbett said.

He was inducted into the Prairie Meadows Hall of Fame in 2019.

Corbett's stats for the week included six wins from 16 mounts for a 37.5% win percentage, 68.7% in-the-money percentage and total purse earnings of $101,271.

Corbett out-polled fellow riders Victor Carrasco with two stakes victories at Laurel, Tyler Gaffalione who posted the most wins for the week, Joel Rosario with a victory in the Gr. 2 Rebel, and Ricardo Santana, Jr. with a stakes win at Oaklawn Park.

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Dual Prep Winner Greatest Honour Tops Nominees To Florida Derby

Courtlandt Farms' Greatest Honour, an impressive winner of the Jan. 30 Holy Bull (G3) and Feb. 27 Fountain of Youth (G2), is atop the list of 25 Triple Crown hopefuls nominated to the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa at Gulfstream Park March 27.

Greatest Honour, who also broke his maiden at Gulfstream Dec. 26, is trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, who saddled Orb for victories in the 2013 Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby prior to his triumph in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

The 70th running of the Florida Derby will highlight a program with 10 stakes, six graded, worth $1.85 million in purses. The tradition-rich 1 1/8-mile stakes has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events, as well as 24 Kentucky Derby winners, 19 Preakness Stakes (G1) winners and 17 Belmont Stakes (G1) champions. Last year's Florida Derby winner Tiz the Law captured the Belmont.

Greatest Honour has won all three of his starts at Gulfstream over the 1 1/16-mile distance while rallying from well off the pace. The son of Tapit was fourth at the top of the stretch in the Fountain of Youth before surging to a 1 ½-length victory.

A total of 170 Kentucky Derby qualifying points will be up for grabs in the Florida Derby on a 100-40-20-10 basis.

Godolphin LLC's Prevalence is among the most prominent 3-year-olds on the Florida Derby nominations list, having won his only two starts impressively, both at Gulfstream Park. The Brendan Walsh trainee debuted Jan. 23, winning a seven-furlong maiden special weight race by 8 ¼ lengths, handily. The homebred son of Medaglia d'Oro came back to win a mile optional claiming allowance by three lengths March 11. A decision on the Kentucky-bred colt's next start has yet to be announced.

Juddmonte Farms, Inc.'s Mandaloun, the winner of Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds, is nominated to the Florida Derby but is entered in Saturday's Louisiana Derby (G2). John and Diane Franklin's Rombauer, the Michael McCarthy-trained winner of the El Camino Real Derby (G3) at Golden Gate Fields, is also nominated but is not expected to run.

St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda is among the likely starters in this year's Florida Derby, which has been won a record five times by the son of Curlin's trainer, Todd Pletcher. The homebred colt, who finished third in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct in his juvenile season finale, rebounded from a fifth-place finish in his 2021 debut in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs with an eye-catching 11-length victory at Gulfstream in a Feb. 26 optional claiming allowance at the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby distance. Pletcher is also represented on the Florida Derby noms list by WinStar Farm LLC and CHC Inc.'s Sainthood, a Feb. 12 maiden winner at Fair Grounds following a narrow loss his Jan. 9 debut at Gulfstream.

Michael Shanley's Nova Rags, who finished second behind stablemate Candy Man Rocket in the Sam F. Davis, is expected to run in the Florida Derby. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the son of Union Rags had previously won the seven-furlong Pasco at Tampa.

Three Chimneys Farm and eFive Racing Thoroughbreds' Collaborate, a $600,000 yearling purchase, is scheduled to make the jump from the maiden special weight ranks to Grade 1 company after rebounding from a troubled debut to graduate in spectacular fashion Feb. 27, scoring by 12 ½ lengths under wraps. The son of Into Mischief is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., who is also represented on the nominations list by Moonlite Strike, who finished third in the March 6 Tampa Bay Derby (G2).

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse is expected to be represented in the Florida Derby field by undefeated Soup and Sandwich, a Live Oak Plantation homebred who debuted at Gulfstream Jan. 29 with a dominating 7 ¼-length victory in a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight event. The son of Into Mischief came back to capture a two-turn optional claiming allowance at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 24 by 2 ¾ lengths. Soup and Sandwich will be among the Florida-bred nominees who will be eligible for $100,000 in Florida-bred bonus money.

Magic Stables LLC's Papetu, who finished third in the Fountain of Youth following a very wide trip from his outside post position, is expected to return in the Florida Derby. The Antonio Sano-trained son of Dialed In had previously finished second in the Jan. 2 Mucho Macho Man and fourth in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream. Sano-trained Sigiloso, a son of Khozan owned by Gelfenstein Farm, is also nominated to the Florida Derby. The Florida-bred, who finished third in the Kitten's Joy (G3) on turf two starts back, is eligible for a $100,000 'Win Only' bonus offered to Florida Sire Stakes-nominated horses.

Trainer Dale Romans is represented by four 3-year-olds on the Florida Derby nominations list, including Albaugh Family Stables LLC's Sittin on Go and Smiley Sobotka, West Point Thoroughbreds and Peacock Stable's King's Ovation and Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister's Ultimate Badger.

The Florida Derby will be supported by an undercard with nine other stakes – $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), $200,000 Pan American (G2), $100,000 Ghostzapper (G3), $100,000 Kitten's Joy Appleton (G3), $100,000 Orchid (G3), the $100,000 Sir Shackleton, $100,000 Sand Springs, the $100,000 Cutler Bay, and $100,000 Sanibel Island.

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