“We feel providing an explanation directly from the stewards is a great way to inform fans watching and wagering on our product,” said Eric Halstrom, Indiana Grand's vice President and general manager of racing. “They will now be able explain how they came to a conclusion on a specific ruling and give insight on the information they reviewed and gathered from the jockeys involved in the incident.”

Indiana Grand also announced Thursday it will be using a drone to offer enhanced camera angles for television production of its upcoming Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse meets.

“Our team has been challenged to take Caesars' racing to the forefront in technology and a drone is one step in doing so,” said  Halstrom. “As we began to pull this new concept in, we started realizing how this drone could really showcase our racing program and set our TV production apart from others. It's important to note we do not plan on changing the way people watch our races but rather complement our current production with innovative views that nobody else is offering in their daily broadcasts. Lastly, we also view this as a potential way to assist the stewards in reviewing races, especially in areas where current camera angles are more difficult than others to see the full action of a race”

The Matrice 200 Drone, which is a little less than three feet in width and stands 16 inches high, is capable of zoom options with adjustable speed and is programmable from location to location. Operators are required to be licensed with the Federal Aviation Administration with a Remote Pilot Certificate. Three of Indiana Grand's audio-visual department team members recently completed training and are now licensed to fly the drone.

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“We moved Indiana Derby Day to Wednesday in 2020 due to crowd restrictions and other safety protocols in place due to COVID-19,” said Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing. “The move proved to be very popular with racing fans across the nation and the Derby program set an all-time track record for total handle, just missing the $6-million mark. We feel by moving our big day to mid-week, the program receives the recognition it deserves with such high-quality stakes on the card.”

The track's Sept. 8 card will include the $150,000 Caesars S. and the $150,000 Indiana Grand. Those stakes–the state's richest turf races–will be complemented by the $75,000 Back Home Again S. and the $75,000 Circle City S., which sport new names in 2021. Both races were part of an online contest to rename several stakes, garnering more than 250 responses.

“Our online presence has jumped over the past year and we value the support of those racing fans,” added Halstrom. “We wanted to include them in revamping our 2021 stakes schedule and by offering a contest with a prize, it was a way to engage them in the process. We got some really good suggestions, which we have used on 12 stakes for the year.”

New to the Indiana Grand schedule in 2021 are the William Garrett S., the IU Hoosiers S., the Send it in Army S. and the Clarksville S. Each will offer a purse of $65,000.

“We saw an opportunity to add some open stakes to our summer lineup and we think this will create a lot of variety to our schedule,” said Chris Polzin, director of racing/racing secretary. “Plus, the Garrett and IU Hoosiers [set for Aug. 11] give us two more stakes to showcase on our turf course.”

The complete stakes schedule is available here.

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“Without the services Meals on Wheels provides, many individuals would either go hungry or would not follow appropriate dietary needs,” said Indiana Grand vice president of marketing Elena Lisle. “To think of someone not receiving this service really tugs at your heart. We see their van frequently traveling around town delivering meals and we want to ensure this service remains in place for the residents of Shelbyville and Shelby County.”

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“We have many team members that have battled cancer in the past or are currently dealing with the disease,” said Elena Lisle, Indiana Grand’s vice president of marketing. “We have recently lost a few fellow team members to cancer, and the impact of losing a loved one is a tremendous blow to any family, including a work family. Being able to step up and provide any assistance is so important and we are glad to help out in any way we can.”

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The two additional dates added to the schedule will be Monday, Nov. 16 and Thursday, Nov. 19, which will become the new closing date for the 18th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing at Indiana Grand.

“While the unprecedented COVID conditions have been difficult, our meet thus far has been a success by any measure,” said Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing at Indiana Grand. “With our total handle being up almost 60% over the same days in 2019, we’re thrilled to add two additional racing days and more opportunities for our horsemen near the end of the meet.”

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“Blue River Community Foundation (BRCF) is thrilled to have the support of Indiana Grand through this generous gift to allow us to expand on the alley activation project on East Washington Street,” said Jennifer Jones, executive director of BRCF. “We appreciate their recognition of the importance of public art, invigorating our downtown, and keeping Shelby County history alive.”

The Alley Renovation showcases several historical figures from the area, including portraits of Sandy Allen, Bill Garrett and Bucky Barnes of Marvel Comics. Indiana Grand’s contribution will allow BRCF to continue its plans for the space, including greenery, seating, lighting and other aesthetics while preserving the historical content of Shelby County.

“Investing in our local neighborhoods is at the forefront of our community outreach goals,” said Mike Rich, senior vice president and general manager of racing. “The City of Shelbyville is working hard to revitalize the downtown area, and we saw an opportunity to get involved with their vision. The possibilities are endless with this initiative, and we are excited to see the transformation this entire project will have on the community.”

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A statement released Monday by the Indiana track read, “Effective immediately Monday, July 6, 2020, Indiana Grand will follow CDC guidelines and will not allow anyone from the above racing category currently working and racing at Lone Star onto the property due to potential exposure risks. All individuals wishing to relocate to Indiana racing will be required to quarantine for 14 days. At the conclusion of the quarantine period, participantswill be required to provide a negative Covid-19 test before they will be allowed on the grounds at Indiana Grand.”

Indiana Grand conducts live racing Monday through Thursday and its season continues through Nov. 18.

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Purses for Indiana-bred stakes have been reduced across the board, with the six Indiana Signature Stakes, typically worth $150,000, reduced to $100,000, and the other 22 restricted Indiana-bred and Indiana-sired stakes to be contested at $75,000. In total, the restricted stakes will pay more than $2 million in 2020.

In addition, the Indiana Breeders Awards percentage will remain at 2019 levels.

“Going into this year’s racing program, we were excited to offer a program with many enhancements; however, due to the unique situation we are now in, many of those elements had to be put on hold until the 2021 program,” said Jessica Barnes, Director of Racing and Breed Development for the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. “I’m thankful the tracks, horsemen’s groups and commission were able to all come together to offer the best program we could during these unprecedented times.”

Barnes continued, “If we get a month or two into the reopening, and projections are better than what we have forecasted, we have the flexibility to go back to the commission with a revised proposal. This is a fluid situation, and our program has the ability to adjust in a manner that will best benefit our breeders, owners and trainers.”

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino was originally scheduled to open Apr. 14, but the track and the backside were closed due to the statewide COVID-19 pandemic quarantine Mar. 16. With approval from the Governor’s Office, the Indiana Horse Racing Commission recently released a phased approach to begin horse racing in Indiana, with the backside of the tracks now open. The plan calls for racing to commence at the two pari-mutuel tracks the week of June 16 without spectators. If there is no change to Governor Holcomb’s “Back on Track Indiana” plan, spectators will be able to return to the tracks July 4.

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