Eric Halstrom | Horse Racing Free Tips

Indiana Grand Adds Four Race Dates To 2021 Season

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino has requested four additional racing days for the 2021 racing season. The dates were approved Thursday, Sept. 16 by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC). The track will now offer racing on Columbus Day Monday, Oct. 11 and extend the final day of racing to Thursday, Nov. 11. The previous closing day was set for Monday, Nov. 8.

Several factors played into the request for additional racing days. Business levels have exceeded expectations this season to cover purses over four additional racing days plus the horse population is growing for the final two months of racing with horsemen seeking additional racing opportunities in Indiana. Also, one day was canceled in August due to extreme heat, which will be considered a make-up day on Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 11.

“We're very pleased to be in a position where we are able to request additional racing dates at the end of our current 120-day meet,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “The Indiana horsemen, our loyal partners, are very deserving of these additional opportunities and, upon approval from the IHRC, we'll end our meet with a bang on Veteran's Day, November 11.”

The 2021 racing season will now offer 123 days of live action. First post on Monday, Oct. 11 through Thursday, Nov. 11 will be 2:25 p.m.

The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is now in progress and continues through Thursday, Nov. 11. Live racing is conducted at 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, with first post on Thursday through Nov. 4 set at 3:25 p.m. A special Indiana Champions Day highlighting the state's top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses will be held Saturday, Oct. 30, beginning at noon. More information about the 2021 racing season is available at www.caesars.com/indiana-grand.

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UOFL Equine Industry Series in Person in ’21

The University of Louisville Equine Industry Program (EIP), in conjunction with Horse Racing Nation, released its free Fall 2021 speaker series, which will be held in person this year on the UofL campus. The series includes panel discussions on the “Super Card” trend in racing and growing racing through diversity and inclusion.

The final event in the series will be an interview with Houston business owner, philanthropist and horse owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale. The events will be held from 5:30-6:45p.m., and will be broadcast live on the Horse Racing Nation Facebook page.

This year's series features:

Sept. 14 – “Examining Horse Racing's 'Super Card' Trend,” Horn Auditorium – UofL College of Business

Eric Halstrom – vice president and general manager of racing, Indiana Grand Racetrack & Casino
Ben Huffman – vice president, racing and racing secretary, Churchill Downs and Keeneland
Jon Moss – executive director, Iowa HBPA Inc.

Panel moderated by Jude Feld, racing analyst and contributor, Horse Racing Radio Network.

Oct. 12 – “How Racing Can Grow Through Diversity and Inclusion,” UofL Student Activities Center

Jason Wilson – chief operating officer, 1/ST Content
Greg Harbut – founder and president, Harbut Bloodstock
Ron Mack – executive director, Legacy Equine Academy

Panel moderated by Alicia Hughes – digital content editor, TVG/FanDuel.

Nov. 9 – “An Evening with “MATTRESS MACK,” aka Jim McIngvale,” UofL Student Activities Center

The series concludes with an entertaining evening with Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, known in racing circles for his strong opinions on the sport, horses running medication free and supporting the ecosystem of horse racing by placing wagers at the racetrack instead of advance-deposit wagering accounts.

Tickets are required for the free events. For more information and tickets, contact Kimberly Spear at kimberly.spear@louisville.edu or 502-852-7727.

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Indiana Trainers Express Concern About Testing In The Wake Of Earlier Post Times

Several trainers with horses entered at Indiana Grand on Wednesday and Thursday are concerned that the track's decision to move up post times, from 2:25 p.m. to 10:00 a.m., could cause their horses to test above the state's threshold for therapeutic medications.

Indiana Grand management officially announced the time change on Monday, due to projected high temperatures. By that point, however, trainers had already treated their horses with legal medications on Sunday, 72 hours out from the original post time for Wednesday's races.

That 4 1/2-hour difference in post times could prove to be significant in post-race testing — especially, trainers argued, considering the extremely small amounts at which the lab is able to test for therapeutic medications.

Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing at Indiana Grand, said that while he understood the trainers' concerns, there would be no special dispensation from the commission, and that the allowable thresholds for those medications would remain at their present levels. If trainers did not believe their horses would pass post-race testing, or were concerned, Halstrom indicated that there would be no penalty for scratching.

“In this heat, for the last couple of weeks, the stewards have been letting anybody out because of the heat,” Halstrom said. “I'm more than supportive of them scratching, if that's what they feel they need to do.”

Indiana Grand does have lights on the dirt course, but not on the turf, and a pair of state-bred turf stakes races scheduled for Wednesday's card would have to have been moved had the track chosen to push the post times back, instead of moving them up.

“Those people have been paying into those races, and they deserve the right to run in them as scheduled,” said Halstrom. “Essentially what it came down to, we were either going to have to cancel, or we were going to do this.”

Wednesday's card saw a total of 18 scratches from 101 entries. Four of those were main-track-only entrants, and two were from the also-eligible list. The average field size was 9.18 starters before scratches; after scratches, average field size decreased to 7.54 starters, a difference of 17.9 percent.

By way of comparison, Monday's card, which was held at the regularly-scheduled post time of 2:25 p.m., saw eight scratches, including two also-eligibles. The average field size was 8.2 starters before scratches; after scratches, average field size decreased to 7.4 starters, a difference of 9.8 percent.

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Indiana Grand Moves Post Times Up Due To Extreme Heat

Due to forecasted extreme heat on Wednesday, Aug. 25 and Thursday, Aug. 26, Indiana Grand has changed post times for each of those days. Racing will now begin at 10 a.m. to accommodate the participants scheduled to race.

“The forecasted temperatures are the most extreme we have seen in Shelbyville in decades,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “Keeping in mind that the health of our staff and equine athletes always comes first, we have decided to move our post times so we can avoid the highest temperatures. This decision isn't made with business interests in mind but for the safety of all participants while giving our loyal horsemen the opportunity to race.”

The program Wednesday, Aug. 23 includes 11 races. The final race will have an estimated post time of approximately 2:50 p.m. The program Thursday, Aug. 24 includes nine races with the final race of the day slated for 1:50 p.m.

Training hours for both days has also been moved to accommodate the early post. Training will now be held from 6 – 9 a.m.

The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is now in progress and continues through Monday, Nov. 8. Live racing is conducted at 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, with first post on Thursday set at 3:25 p.m. A special Indiana Champions Day highlighting the state's top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses will be held Saturday, Oct. 30, beginning at noon. More information about the 2021 racing season is available at www.caesars.com/indiana-grand.

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