Indiana Derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Record Purse Money For Horseshoe Indianapolis Stakes

A record $5.03 million has been allocated to the 2024 stakes schedule at Horseshoe Indianapolis, a program highlighted by the $300,000 GIII Indiana Derby and the $200,000 GIII Indiana Oaks, each to be contested Saturday, July 6, 2024.

Some 42 stakes will be offered over the course of the season, which gets off to a unique beginning on Monday, Apr. 8 to coincide with Total Solar Eclipse Day. The afternoon's features include the appropriately named Dark Side of the Moon and Total Eclipse of the Heart handicaps for Indiana-bred and -sired horses.

“We are in the direct line of the total solar eclipse path and thought it was a unique opportunity to offer racing around this phenomena,” explained Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “We have worked closely with our horsemen's organization to provide a full day of racing on such a monumental day, which will not occur in North America again until 2044. We will showcase our older Indiana horses in two handicaps during the racing program and hope to expose our racing product to all whole new group of people expected in our area.”

The track will also play host to the Caesars S. and Horseshoe Indianapolis S. for 3-year-old males and fillies, respectively, and are the richest events on the turf in Indiana.

“Our Caesars Day has become a great afternoon for us in mid-May,” explained Halstrom. “We have found the perfect spot for these black-type turf events. We have seen some really talented horses in both of these races over the past few years.”

Derby and Oaks day is the highlight of the annual calendar and continues to grow in popularity.

“The Indiana Derby continues to grow, and we saw the track's first $8-million handle day last season,” added Halstrom. “This program has become a staple on the summer event calendar for local racing fans as well as our national racing audience. With the addition of Indiana premier races on the day, it gives us a full platform to showcase our state's racing program and feature local participants on a day that captures national attention. And last season, we coupled it with two National Horseplayers Championship qualifiers that were well received and brought in a whole new audience for Indiana Derby Day.”

The 22nd season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Thursday, Nov. 14.

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Verifying Adds to Big Day for Justify

A couple of hours after Aspen Grove (Ire) conjured up a 15-1 surprise in the GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks, Verifying (Justify) validated a quote of 3-5 favoritism–if only just–to best Raise Cain (Violence) in the GIII Indiana Derby.

Away alertly for Marcelino Pedroza, Jr, the $775,000 Keeneland September yearling–a half-brother to the magnificent Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute)–was content to lie second and allow the rail-drawn Transect (Gun Runner) to carve out the early fractions. Georgie W (Tapiture) tracked three wide from his high draw, while Cagliostro (Upstart) enjoyed the run of the race down inside. Positions were largely unchanged down the back, but when Alex Achard went for Georgie W three furlongs from home, Pedroza, Jr. was forced to respond in kind aboard Verifying and they carried a tenuous advantage into the stretch. The bay appeared to drift in, causing Cagliostro to steady, was confronted in earnest by Raise Cain inside the furlong pole and wandered about late, but was home first.

“He was just like we wanted,” said the winning jockey. “I waited as long as I could. When we turned for home, I asked him. He was playing with me a little bit. But when I went left-handed, I kind of moved out a little bit….and he gave me another gear just to hang on.

“It means a lot. I've been here five, six years, been riding here long enough. To win this race, the most important at the track, it means a lot.”

Runner-up in last year's GI Champagne S. off a successful Saratoga debut, Verifying was a highly impressive allowance winner at Oaklawn Jan. 14, but might have struggled with a rain-affected track when only fourth at 3-2 in the GII Rebel S. Feb. 25. The bay endured a tough beat at the hands of Tapit Trice (Tapit) in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Apr. 8 and attended the scorching pace in the GI Kentucky Derby before wilting to finish 16th. He bounced back with a near-miss second to Disarm (Gun Runner) in the GIII Matt Winn S. at Ellis Park June 11, leading into the final furlong before being outfinished.

Pedigree Notes:

Verifying is the 13th black-type winner worldwide and the ninth at the graded/group level for Justify. Diva Delite, also the dam of SW and Grade III-placed Stage Left (Congrats), was purchased by David Redvers with Verifying in utero for $1.2 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and was most recently led out unsold on a bid of $775,000 at Keeneland November last fall. Diva Delite is also responsible for a yearling colt by Uncle Mo and produced a Gun Runner colt this year. Midnight Bisou topped last year's KEENOV sale on a bid of $5.5 million from Katsumi Yoshida, whose recent acquisition Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) took the co-featured GIII Indiana Oaks one race earlier. Midnight Bisou, whose first foal is a colt by Curlin, produced a filly in Japan Feb. 24.

Saturday, Horseshoe Indianapolis
INDIANA DERBY-GIII, $300,000, Horseshoe Indianapolis, 7-8, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.15, gd.
1–VERIFYING, 124, c, 3, by Justify
                1st Dam: Diva Delite (GSW, $300,067), by Repent
                2nd Dam: Tour Hostess, by Tour d'Or
                3rd Dam: Counsel's Gal, by High Counsel
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($775,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor; B-Hunter Valley & Mountmellick Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Marcelino Pedroza, Jr.. $176,400. Lifetime Record: MGISP, 9-3-3-0, $745,300. *1/2 to Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), Ch. Older Dirt Female, MGISW, $7,471,520; 1/2 to Stage Left (Congrats), SW & GSP, $531,483. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Raise Cain, 124, c, 3, Violence–Lemon Belle, by Lemon Drop Kid. ($180,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $65,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-Andrew N. Warren and Rania Warren; B-Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Ben Colebrook. $58,800.
3–Cagliostro, 118, c, 3, Upstart–A Rosefor Isabelle, by Hard Spun. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($385,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-David Ingordo, Talla Racing, James Spry, West Point Thoroughbreds and Nice Guys Stables; B-Lance Colwell & Janice Clark (FL); T-Cherie DeVaux. $32,340.
Margins: NO, 1 3/4, 2. Odds: 0.60, 5.40, 4.30. Also Ran: Transect, Georgie W, Onthestage, Hayes Strike. Scratched: Act a Fool, Stayinyourlane.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.

#5 VERIFYING scores in a over #2 Raise Cain in the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3)!

The son of @coolmoreamerica Justify is trained @bradcoxracing and had Marcelino Pedroza in the irons.

Thanks @MattCTVG and @ashley_mailloux for the coverage! pic.twitter.com/eC9itiFVlK

— TVG (@TVG) July 8, 2023

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Horseshoe Indianapolis Earmarks Over $4.75 Million for 2023 Stakes

Highlighted by the $300,000 GIII Indiana Derby July 8, Horseshoe Indianapolis has finalized a 2023 racing season featuring 38 black-type events worth $4.75 million. Eight stakes worth $1.1 million are slated for the Indiana Derby Day card, including the GIII Indiana Oaks.

“Each year, Indiana Derby Day continues to grow and sets new handle records,” said Vice President and General Manager of Racing Eric Halstrom. “Our racing office staff works very hard to assemble top quality fields for each of these stakes. With all the activities surrounding the event, Indiana Derby Day has become one of Indiana's biggest summer sporting events and attracts some of the nation's top 3-year-olds. It's definitely a day to put on your calendars each July.”

A total of 10 of the stakes will be run on the turf course and another 28 are specifically for Indiana-bred and -sired runners. More than $2.9 million will be dispersed to horses that are part of the Indiana breeding program.

The 123-day racing season at Horseshoe Indianapolis kicks off Apr. 18. Click here for more information.

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Horseshoe Indianapolis Seeks Four-Date Thoroughbred Trim in ’23

Horseshoe Indianapolis is proposing a 2023 mixed-meet racing schedule of 123 dates that pares four dates from the Thoroughbred portion of the calendar, down to 117 from the 121 Thoroughbred dates that had been granted this year.

Pending approval at this Thursday's Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC) meeting, the 2023 mixed meet will run Apr. 18-Nov. 17.

That's roughly the same template that Horseshoe Indianapolis used this past season, although next year's meet is scheduled to end on the Friday before Thanksgiving instead of running into the holiday week and closing the day before Thanksgiving, like it did this year.

“The 2023 mixed Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meet will begin and end at roughly the same time as the 2022 season but, in an attempt to adapt to the changing national racing calendar, there will be some movement of racing days to maximize handle and attendance,” Horseshoe Indianapolis stated in its application package to the IHRC.

For 2022, Horseshoe Indianapolis had been awarded 127 total days, with six of those dates dedicated exclusively to Quarter Horse cards. Although there will be some Quarter Horse racing mixed in on the Thoroughbred dates, which is standard for the track, there will again be six stand-alone Quarter Horse programs in 2023.

In order to meet the state's minimum requirement for unlimited simulcasting, Horseshoe Indianapolis must run at least 120 total Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse dates.

“The stakes schedules for both breeds will likely see some minor changes, but on the Thoroughbred side, our signature events–[the GIII] Indiana Derby and [the GIII] Indiana Oaks–will see a minor change as well,” the application stated.

“We feel there's an opportunity to make the event even bigger by turning it into a potential two-day, stakes-filled display of the best racing in Indiana. With that in mind we have added Friday, July 7, to the calendar and we'll keep the Indiana Derby on Saturday, July 8, as we try and follow up our remarkable success from 2022,” the application continued.

The 2022 running of the Indiana Derby marked the fourth straight year in which Horseshoe Indianapolis established a new track-record handle.

Four race dates in 2023 (from 12 to 16) will shift to Saturdays.

“Although it is proven the racing program captures more attention and more eyes with its Monday-through-Thursday racing schedule, it's also evident that weekends draw the best crowds,” the application stated.

Stabling will remain open through the winter again this year at Horseshoe Indianapolis, an amenity designed to bolster the horse population for when racing resumes next spring.

“Winter training continued to be an important tool for our [2022] early season racing program,” the application stated. “In all, nearly 400 horses took advantage of our racing surface and barn area being open year-round. The entries in April increased over 2021 and the new barn gives us the opportunity to have even more horses this upcoming winter. We believe it is likely that over the course of the next few months that almost 500 horses will use our facilities to stay fit and in training.”

Horseshoe Indianapolis also detailed in its application a 2023 spending strategy for capital investments.

“For 2023, there is a considerable sum ($813,708) set aside for rolling capital…more than we are likely going to need to use to sufficiently replace aging equipment,” the application stated. “Most of the maintenance capital plan calls for the replacement of harrows, floats and snow removal equipment. We will be doing a thorough inventory of our current equipment, and its condition, and coming to the IHRC with a request for substitute capital at the March 2023 meeting as there are other needs that could improve our facility and product.”

The application continued: “Due to the unplanned year-round use of our tractors, we are experiencing unexpected wear and tear. It is likely that we will need to plan for a phasing in of new tractors over a number of years.

“Additionally, Horseshoe Indianapolis continued its improvements with the Racing Capital Fund Appropriation Committee (RCFAC) capital,” the application stated. “The 2022 RCFAC items have been very productive for our racing program and we will have some equipment in 2023 that will not only bring value to horsemen and our facility, but for our customers as well.”

According to Horseshoe Indianapolis, among the RCFAC expenditures already approved for 2023 are an apron tent and awning structure ($650,000), the installation of a new turf rail and geolocation services ($150,000), Eurocizer material ($25,000), and sand for a turf course renovation ($25,000).

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