$50,000 Road To Louisville Contest Includes Prize Package With Chance To Purchase Indiana Yearling

Up to $50,000 in prize money will be offered in a unique contest coming to Indiana Grand Racing & Casino in early 2022. “Road to Louisville,” featuring 18 weeks of action beginning Saturday, Jan. 8 leading up to the Kentucky Derby Saturday, May 7, will include $20,000 in prize money with a unique twist thrown into the mix. The winner of the contest will have the option to purchase a yearling package at the 2022 ITOBA Fall Sale valued at $30,000 courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (ITOBA) along with Indiana Grand.

“Road to Louisville” is open to players both online and on-track at Indiana Grand and Clarksville OTB. Weekly and monthly prizes will be provided as points are cumulative throughout the event. The contest, which will include numerous races each week from select tracks, will be completed on Kentucky Derby Day to crown the overall winner of the $1,000 prize money and a chance to own a future Indiana racehorse.

“Our contests both online and on-track have become increasingly popular, and we wanted to do something to raise the stakes next season,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “After talking with ITOBA President Tom Mosley, we decided to partner with them on our current breeding and racing program, which is so lucrative right now. The idea was created to get one of our loyal racing fans involved with a hands-on ownership experience and enjoy a risk-free way to enjoy the thrill of Indiana  Thoroughbred racing.”

If the winner opts in for the purchase of a yearling at the ITOBA Sale, they will receive up to $15,000 to purchase a yearling out of the sale, plus an additional $15,000 for care and training of the horse leading up to its racing debut in the summer of 2023. ITOBA is facilitating the details and assistance for the new owner and their new purchase.

“We are always looking for ways to promote our breeding and racing program and when Eric (Halstrom) came to us with this idea, we couldn't think of a better way to introduce our program to new individuals,” said Mosley. “Giving someone a complete experience, from purchasing a yearling at the sale to watching it train and make it to the races is a great way to bring exposure to Indiana racing.”

“Road to Louisville” gets underway with the racing card from Gulfstream Park. Points are based on payouts for the selected horse in the contest races. Weekly prizes will be allotted to the top three players each week with the top handicapper receiving $150, second place receiving $100 and third place receiving $50. Prizes are doubled if the player is competing at either Indiana Grand or Clarksville OTB.

“We wanted to ensure the contest was available to all players everywhere who are 21 or older but we wanted to find a way to reward our racing fans who participate at Indiana Grand and Clarksville,” added Halstrom. “By doubling the prize money, this will entice those who live around either location to submit their entries in person. In addition to the weekly prizes, we will also offer a monthly prize of $250 for the player who has the most accumulated points. That amount will also double to $500 if the player is participating at Indiana Grand or Clarksville.”

A request for a list of rules and more details about “Road to Louisville” will be provided by sending an email to horseshoeindycontest@gmail.com. Entry forms and additional details will also be available soon on the website at www.indianagrand.com.

The 20th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is set to resume Tuesday, April 19 and run through Wednesday, Nov. 23. Racing will be held Monday through Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. with Thursday racing beginning at 3:30 p.m. A total of 12 Saturday racing programs will be held in 2022. For more information on events and racing, go to www.indianagrand.com.

About Indiana Grand Racing & Casino

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, which is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR), holds multiple awards for customer service, entertainment, gaming, dining, and diversity. Located in Shelbyville, Ind., Indiana Grand features more than 1,900 of the latest slots and table games in addition to a one-mile dirt racecourse and a seven-eighths mile turf course providing live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing each year. Simulcast and sports wagering is also offered year-round at Winner's Circle Race Sports Pub located on the casino floor as well as a Winner's Circle Race Sports Pub located in Clarksville, Ind. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com/indiana-grand. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing at racetracks and 21 or older to gamble at sports books and casinos. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (1-800-994-8448) ©2021 Caesars License Company, LLC.

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Stronach 5 Returns Friday With Races From Laurel, Gulfstream

A field of 10 2-year-old fillies will kick off Friday's Stronach 5, featuring races from Laurel Park and Gulfstream Park as well as a low 12-percent takeout.

Laurel's seventh race begins the Stronach 5 at approximately 3:23 ET with maiden fillies going six furlongs. Miss Foxann, a daughter of Kantharos who was second in her debut at Laurel Nov. 5, is the 9-5 favorite for trainer Dale Bennett. Isabella's Glory, a daughter of Lea, finished third by just a neck Nov. 14 for trainer Jose Corrales. Leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez will send out first-time starter Always Mia, a $32,000 daughter of Flat Out.

Gulfstream's seventh race, a 6 ½ furlong event for fillies and mares at a claiming price of $20,000, serves as the second leg of the sequence. Ideal Breeze goes out first time for trainer Jorge Delgado, who is 29-percent first off the claim. Frankie's Girl drops in class off a third-place finish last out. Rakas makes her South Florida debut after starting four times at Woodbine. William Tharrenos takes over the training.

It's back to Laurel for the third and fourth legs of the Stronach 5. The third leg, Laurel's eighth race, an allowance event for fillies and mares around two turns, drew a field of eight including 8-5 favorite Award Wanted, a three-length winner against restricted company last out for John Robb. Mit Mazel, the runner-up to Award Wanted last time out, tries again for Claudio Gonzalez.

Laurel's ninth race, a $10,000 claiming event for fillies and mares, is a wide-open seven-furlong event. Torch Carrier, a 3-year-old by Uncle Lino, is the tepid 3-1 choice after breaking her maiden for $16,000 in October and following up with a second-place finish against $16,000 claimers in November. Tuff But Fair draws the rail and returns to Laurel after a sixth-place finish against similar Oct. 20 at Delaware. Digital Dream should be a factor after a wide trip last out.

The Stronach 5 concludes with Gulfstream's ninth race, a claiming event for fillies and mares at 5 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta. Charlotte the Brit enters off a pair of second place finishes on the Tapeta for Jorge Delgade. Christophe Clement sends out Smooth Pebble after a runner-up finish on the turf at Monmouth in September. Caffeine Rush goes out for the second time off a short layoff for Elizabeth Dobles.

Friday's races and sequence

  • Leg One –Laurel Race 7: (10 entries, 6 furlongs) 3:18 ET, 12:18 PT
  • Leg Two –Gulfstream Race 7: (9 entries, 6 ½ furlongs) 3:26 ET, 12:26 PT
  • Leg Three –Laurel Race 8: (8 entries, 1 1/16 mile) 3:50 ET, 12:50 PT
  • Leg Four – Laurel Race 9: (12 entries,7 furlongs) 4:22 ET, 1:22 PT
  • Leg Five –Gulfstream Race 9: (10 entries, 5 ½ furlongs) 4:32 ET, 1:32 PT

Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.

The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

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Equibase Analysis: 12-1 On The Morning Line, Officiating Looks Very Tough In Mr. Prospector Stakes

This Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park drew a field of seven sprinters running seven furlongs in an intriguing race: not one of the group has finished in the top three in a graded stakes in 2021. That being said, three horses enter the race having either won their most recent race or the one just prior to that.

  • Dennis' Moment is one of the two in the former group, having won at the seven furlong distance in his most recent race and with a previous graded stakes win in his career as he captured the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes in the fall of 2019.
  • Officiating won at this distance one race before last, the win coming in the non-graded Bear's Den Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
  • Doc Amster won last month at Gulfstream Park at the shorter distance of six furlongs and is trying this seven furlong trip for the first time.
  • Then there's Endorsed, with the highest career earnings in the field at $455,375. His best effort at this level came when second in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes in June of last year, and he enters the Mr. Prospector Stakes off a fast closing third place effort in his most recent start.
  • Poppy's Pride won four in a row between September and December of last year but has run poorly in two starts since returning from an eight month layoff in September.
  • Wind of Change (BRZ) finished fourth in last year's Mr. Prospector and enters this year's race off a runner-up finish two months ago.
  • Flap Jack rounds out the field, not having won in nine races since June, 2020 and still eligible to run in a second level allowance race.

Main win contenders:

Officiating took seven tries to earn his first win, doing so on turf this past March. Following his maiden win and after missing by a neck in a non-graded stakes race on turf and a mediocre third place effort on dirt, he was privately transferred to the barn of trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. Then, after fourth and third place finishes on turf, Officiating was entered in the Bear's Den Stakes, scheduled for turf, but stayed in the race which was moved to dirt due to weather, earning a career best 110 ™ Equibase® Speed Figure and winning authoritatively by three and one-half lengths.

In his most recent race and following the Bear's Den, Officiating tried the Tapeta all-weather surface and two-turns in the Showing Up Stakes last month and ran poorly, demonstrating only he did not like the surface nor the distance. Cutting back to the distance of the Bear's Den while moving back to the surface of that race, it can be assumed Officiating can duplicate his effort in that race which is good enough to win. There is also little doubt about his being able to run as well considering his last two workouts on dirt coming into the race have been excellent.

Dennis' Moment was thought to be a top 2-year-old in the summer of 2019 following his 19 length win in July with a 106 ™ figure, virtually unheard of for a young two year old. He won the Iroquois Stakes two months later but after finishing last of eight in that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Stakes he was given time off to mature. When returning in the Fountain of Youth Stakes last February, 2020, Dennis' Moment was sent to post as the heavy favorite but finished 10th and last.

Rested another nine months, he ran poorly one year ago and was again given time off. This time the rest helped greatly as Dennis' Moment missed by a head in a six furlong sprint. Two races later in October, Dennis' Moment earned his first win in 25 months in a highly rated race at Keeneland at the distance of the Mr. Prospector, duplicating the 106 figure earned in the summer of 2019. With logical improvement off that effort in his fourth start off the rest and at the same distance of his last effort, Dennis' Moment has every right to earn a graded stakes win for the second time in his career.

The rest of the field, with their best ™ Equibase Speed Figures, is Doc Amster (103), Endorsed (110), Flap Jack (101), Poppy's Pride (97) and Wind of Change (BRZ) (114).

Win Contenders, in preference order:

Officiating
Dennis' Moment

Mr. Prospector Stakes – Grade 3
Race 10 at Gulfstream Park
Saturday, December 11 – Post Time 4:32 PM E.T.
Seven Furlongs
Three Years Olds and Upward
Purse: $100,000

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Double Pick 6 Carryover Of $288K Into Friday’s Card At Aqueduct

Friday's card will be bolstered by a double Pick 6 carryover of $288,843 as the multi-race wager went unsolved on Thursday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The $1 Pick 6 returned $504.50 to bettors who selected 5-of-6 winners correctly.

Thursday's sequence kicked off in Race 4 with Radio Days [No. 4, $2.50] impressing as the mutuel favorite in a seven-furlong allowance optional claiming sprint for juvenile fillies under Dylan Davis for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

Sandrone [No. 5, $6.60], the 2-1 public choice, captured Race 5 with Luis Saez up for H. James Bond in a six-furlong outer turf sprint for New York-bred juveniles before Electric Youth [No. 5, $23.40] spiced up the sequence at odds of 10-1 with Saez up for Rudy Rodriguez in Race 6. Saez completed a natural hat trick by winning Race 7 with the Bond-trained Reckless Spirit [No. 7, $16].

Space Launch [No. 2, $21] found the wire in time to win Race 8, a 1 1/16-mile outer turf allowance, with Manny Franco up for Christophe Clement.

With only two horses uncovered in the Pick 6 to close out the sequence in Race 9, the Kelly Breen-conditioned Courvoisier [No. 10, $30] staved off Perfect Fight to secure the carryover in the nine-furlong maiden tilt for 2-year-olds.

Friday's Pick 6 kicks off in Race 5 at 1:42 p.m. Eastern. First post on the 10-race card is 11:50 a.m.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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