Indiana | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Treasure Of The Midwest’: New Media Project Highlights Indiana Thoroughbred Industry

It's time for the little guy to be in the spotlight, and that's exactly what Champions of the Track is looking to do with their new multimedia project titled Treasure of the Midwest.

Champions of the Track is a digital media company based in Indiana with the sole purpose to promote horse racing around the world. With a strong love of the sport, the small team brings an “outsider's perspective” to the sport, hoping to encourage more “outsiders” to fall in love right along with them.

Treasure of the Midwest is a partnership between Champions of the Track, the Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance, Indiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Indiana Grand Racing & Casino to promote the breeding and racing of Thoroughbred horses in Indiana. The project will consist of a YouTube series showcasing some of the state's farms and horsemen, as well as written stories of Indiana-bred horses. The three-person team is currently visiting farms and Indiana Grand to gather stories and share the enthusiasm.

“Indiana offers such a large financial benefit to breeders, stallion owners and racehorse owners who choose to participate in the Indiana Thoroughbred Breed Development Program,” says Kaeli Bartholomew, owner and creative director for Champions of the Track. “Indiana's horseracing industry is a well-kept secret that we want to spread nationwide.”

One of the first Indiana farms featured was Springcliff Farm, owned by Christine Cagle in Martinsville, Indiana. In 2021, alone, Springcliff has foaled 50 future racehorses. The farm was originally established in 1864 by the Thomas family. The beautiful farm is adorned with red barns and several lush, green pastures dotted with healthy and happy broodmares and foals.

“I just love what I do, even with the long hours during foaling season,” says Cagle. “Indiana doesn't get as much credit for its racing program as we should. We're always growing. In fact, I have breeders from as far as across the globe sending their mares here to foal and be part of the program.

“Having this multimedia push from Kaeli and Champions of the Track will be such a help for the little breeders, owners and horsemen who maybe can't afford their own marketing plans,” Cagle continues. “It was a no-brainer for us to participate and to support this endeavor.”

Horses such as the beautiful gray filly, Piedi Bianchi, are also part of the highlights. Indiana-bred Piedi Bianchi stormed on the racing scene as a 2-year-old racing in California. She finished in the top five in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2017 and has sense raced from California to Indiana to Florida, earning more than $610,000 in lifetime earnings for her owners. Veteran supporters of the Indiana program, Deann and Greg Baer, DVM, bred the super filly and have been excited to follow her progress.

“It's been a lot of fun, racing this filly,” owner Jay Oringer told Bartholomew. “It's exciting for my whole family and group of friends in Queens, New York, to follow her. She has a lot of fans!”

More information can be found on the Champions of the Track website (www.champsofthetrack.com) and on their social media platforms.

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Indiana Sired Stakes: Sky Judge Makes Up For Lost Time, Hungarian Princess Still On Top

After getting a late start to his racing career, Sky Judge is definitely making up for lost time. Making his first career stakes start, Sky Judge ruled over his opponents for the win in the eighth running of the $75,000 Sagamore Sired Stakes Wednesday, May 19. The event was one of two on the card, marking the first stakes races of the 2021 season at Indiana Grand.

Starting from post seven, Sky Judge and jockey Orlando Mojica left out of the gate with authority, grabbing the top spot on the inside before Binge and Joe Ramos joined them on the outside heading to the quarter. From that point on, the three-year-old Sahara Sky gelding took over, increasing his lead around the only turn of the five and one-half furlong race, the first time it has been conducted at this distance, moving from six furlongs.

In the stretch, Sky Judge was in front by more than four lengths, increasing to an even larger margin as the finish line neared, winning the race by seven and one-half lengths in 1:04.83. Manuelito and Tommy Pompell moved up quickly from the back to score the second-place finish by a neck over Royal Icing and Edgar Morales for third.

Because it was his first time in stakes company, Sky Judge was a bit of a surprise, paying $11.20 for the win. Bred by Samuel and William Martin Trust and Edmund Martin Trustee, Sky Judge is now two for three this year at Indiana Grand and is two for seven in his career.

“This colt (Sky Judge) was at my farm and nobody wanted to train him, so I took him,” said Roberts, who has a training center on the west side of Indianapolis. “The first of the year, he really woke up and started training better. I can't do all of this by myself and I have really good help that pays attention and helped me with this horse.”

Roberts, who runs his horses under his training center name of Indy Dancer's Training Center, has had horses in the past that have competed in the bigger stakes in the state of Indiana, including the Indiana Derby. Early indications are pointing Sky Judge to the same path.

“That's the plan, to point him toward the Indiana Derby,” added Roberts. “I have horses both on the track and at the farm, but he stays here. We'll see how he comes out of the race. We may take him home and let him eat some grass and relax.”

For Mojica, he fits Sky Judge like a glove. He is now two for two aboard the gelding and detected his talent early on.

“I've worked him two times in the morning,” said Mojica. “He worked great. He can be a little hyper at times, but he does everything right. We thought today we would just try to get to the lead because no one else seemed to want it. He was in front at the break and when I asked him to go, he took off. I looked up and saw on the tv (jumbotron) how far ahead we were, and I thought I'd better take hold and slow him down some near the finish. He just keeps getting better and better with every start.”

It's already been a big year for Mojica, who is a three-time leading jockey at Indiana Grand. Mojica scored his 2,500th career win to kick off the season in Indiana in mid-April. The Puerto-Rican born jockey is among the top 10 this season and his win aboard Sky Judge was his 31st stakes victory in Indiana Thoroughbred history.

Hungarian Princess, last year's 2-year-old filly champion of Indiana, is back. The heavily favored filly did not disappoint in her second start of the season, strolling to victory in the eighth running of the $75,000 Swifty Sired Fillies Stakes Wednesday, May 19 at Indiana Grand.

Starting from post nine in the nine-horse lineup, Hungarian Princess was one of the first ones out of the gate but backed off as Starlet Express and Marcelino Pedroza set the tempo on the inside. It only took a couple of taps of the whip from jockey Sammy Bermudez to signal Hungarian Princess to go and she was on a mission, moving up three wide around the turn.

At the top of the stretch, Hungarian Princess took over the lead and was seamless to the wire in the five and one-half furlong event, winning by one and three-quarter lengths in a time of 1:04.56. Pearl Tiara and Fernando De La Cruz made a surprise late bid to move into second as a longshot along with Miss Deputy Star and Alex Achard, also a longshot who held on gamely on the inside for third.

Hungarian Princess is trained by Kim Hammond for her owner-breeder Swifty Farms Inc. just off Interstate 65 in Seymour, Ind. She is now four for seven in her career and has been ridden in all of her starts by Bermudez.

“I think she's gotten better this year,” said Bermudez. “I've been on her a few times in the morning and worked her for Kim (Hammond). She just told me today to win. She was sharp and when you ask, she goes. She knows when it's time to go and she knows where the wire is. She's a fun horse to ride.”

Hungarian Princess increased her career bankroll to more than $180,000 with the win. It was her third stakes win in her career so far, which has all taken place at Indiana Grand.

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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Dickinson, Ziegler Among Speakers For 2021 Track Superintendents Field Day

A strong lineup of speakers has been announced for the 20th annual Track Superintendents Field Day set for June 14-15 at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. The meeting brings together track superintendents and staff to discuss best practices related to track maintenance, safety and operational issues for racing and training facilities.

Among the speakers on the agenda are Joe Morris, senior vice president of racing for Caesars; Mike Ziegler, senior vice president and general manager of Churchill Downs, Dr. Michael DePew, an agronomist/soil scientist and industry-leading leading soil expert; trainer Michael Dickinson, president of Tapeta Footings Inc.; Dr. William Farmer, equine medical director for Churchill Downs Inc.; and Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA.

“There is nothing more important to horsemen than the safety of horses and jockeys, so I'm looking forward to interacting with the men and women who work tirelessly to make our racing surfaces as safe as possible,” said Hamelback.

Registration is now open for the event, and there are no registration fees for track supers and staff thanks to the support of sponsors.

“We are excited to have such a distinguished list of speakers this year and think this will be one of the best gatherings we've ever had,” said Roy Smith, founder of the event and track superintendent at Indiana Grand. “We encourage not only track supers to attend, but also those from training centers as well as farms with training surfaces.”

For more information, go to www.tracksupers.com.

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Indiana Grand Ready To Break Ground On $7 Million Barn, Dormitory Expansion

Caesars Entertainment, parent company of Indiana Grand Racing & Casino in Shelbyville, IN, announced plans Tuesday to significantly expand the property's barn and dormitory facilities. The addition will allow for more flexibility and state-of-the-art offerings as the 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing approaches.

The $7 million investment project will include a new 100-stall barn and a 50-room dormitory, increasing stall space on the backstretch to accommodate nearly 1,200 horses. News of this expansion comes on the heels of Indiana Grand's recent announcement of its $32.5 million investment to grow and enhance the existing casino gaming floor. The barn and dormitory project should be completed in the fall of 2021.

“Each year, we turn many stables away because we just don't have the stall space for them,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. “As our racing continues to grow at the national level, we receive even more requests to race at our facility. This addition will further solidify Indiana Grand's as a premier racing destination.”

The new 100-stall barn, modeled after the Quarter Horse barn, built in 2014 at Indiana Grand, will be enclosed and winterized with three large sliding doors on both sides of the barn. The structure will include 10 wash bays, two restrooms and 10 tack rooms.

The dormitory will include 50 additional rooms in a two-story structure next to the new barn. The facility will provide housing for those who care for the additional horses, featuring community bathrooms for both men and women, central air and heat, and a laundry facility on both floors. Both structures will be located on the west side of the current backstretch area.

“Adding another barn will only strengthen our current program at Indiana Grand and build upon Caesars Entertainment's growing position as a leader in sports and entertainment,” said Joseph Morris, Vice President of Racing for Caesars Entertainment. “This project is another example of how Caesars Entertainment is investing in the horse racing industry in the state of Indiana.”

Work should begin in early May on the project. The construction site will be fenced off from the existing barn area to provide safety and security to the current horse population at Indiana Grand.

The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is now in progress and continues through Monday, Nov. 8. Live racing will be conducted at 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, with first post on Thursday set at 3:25 p.m. In addition, six all-Quarter Horse racing dates are set on select Saturdays starting June 5 at 10 a.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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