Indiana | Horse Racing Free Tips

Nine Races Carded For April 13 Opening Day At Indiana Grand

Nine races will kick off the 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing Tuesday, April 13. The program features eight Thoroughbred and one Quarter Horse race with a first post time of 2:25 p.m.

Featured on the card is a $37,000 Indiana sired allowance in the sixth race. The eight-horse field brings the return of several Indiana winners from last season, including Sudden Shift from the Bob Gorham Stable. The three-year-old Unbridled Express gelding finished second in his final start of 2020 in the $75,000 Indiana Futurity. DeShawn Parker, 2020 leading rider at Indiana Grand, will guide Sudden Shift from post seven.

Parker earned his first leading jockey title at Indiana Grand in 2020 with 106 trips to the winner's circle. The jockey with more than 5,800 career wins adds the title from Indiana Grand to his impressive resume with numerous leading jockey titles from Mountaineer Park. Joining Parker in the race for leading jockey in 2021 is Marcelino Pedroza, Jr., who won his second leading jockey title at Indiana Grand in 2019. Pedroza was sidelined for most of the 2020 season due to injury.

In the trainer category, Genaro Garcia returns seeking his fifth straight title. He topped the standings last year with 43 wins over the shortened 96-day racing season. His stable, Southwest Racing, teamed up with Steve Lewis last year to also win leading owner honors.

The 120-day racing season extends through Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. The stakes schedule has been expanded to include several new stakes, bringing the total count to 40 with purses exceeding $3.6 million. Highlighting the stakes season is the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby and the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks set for Wednesday, July 7. Also featured is the state's richest turf race, the $150,000 Caesars Stakes (Listed) set for Wednesday, Sept. 8.

Live racing is conducted Monday through Wednesday at 2:25 p.m. with first post on Thursday set at 3:25 p.m. Six all-Quarter Horse days have been set beginning with the first one Saturday, June 5 at 10 a.m. More information about the 2021 racing season is available at www.indianagrand.com.

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Indiana Grand Donates Old Track Surface Material To Community Project

In preparation for a project on the horizon for Shelby Parks and Recreation, Indiana Grand Racing & Casino delivered two loads of dirt to Blue River Memorial Park Thursday, April 1. The dirt, which was formerly used as racing surface on the track, will become part of the amphitheater area to be constructed at Blue River Memorial Park.

“The amphitheater at this time has no particular time frame,” said Karen Martin, Executive Director of Shelby Parks and Recreation. “It is in our master plan. As we get dirt to create the mound for the audience to sit on, then preparations will get started for the rest.”

Indiana Grand Track Maintenance Team Members Paul Jordon and Doug Boring delivered two truck loads of material to the site of the future amphitheater. The dirt equaled a total of 20 tons.

Once enough material has been collected, Doug Hunt, City of Shelbyville Street Commissioner, will begin forming the dirt into a “U” shape mound that will extend up at least 12 feet high. Once the mound is in place, drainage will be added and a staging area with dressing rooms will be constructed.

“After an extended period of time, the materials we use on the racetrack become less effective and it loses its bounce when the horses travel over it,” said Roy Smith, Track Superintendent. “We take the material off and replace it with a fresh mixture of sand, silt and clay. The stockpile of previously used dirt will be perfect for the creation of the amphitheater.”

Smith and his team are in final preparations for the upcoming 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing, which begins Tuesday, April 13. They are working on both the one-mile dirt course as well as the seven-eighths mile turf course, which is currently equipped with turf blankets to strengthen the grass base and speed up the process of growth. Turf racing is set to commence in early May, pending weather conditions.

Live racing in 2021 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 12 p.m. More information about the 2021 racing season is available at www.indianagrand.com.

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Indiana Grand Donates $100,000 To Shelby County Fairgrounds’ Project

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino is committed to providing assistance for the region and recently stepped up to assist in a huge project in the works at the Shelby County Fairgrounds. The fair board is working to add a pavilion to the property this year, and with a $100,000 donation from Indiana Grand, the project is well on its way to becoming a reality.

“This is something we've talked about for 20 years and now this is a priority for our board,” said Jeff Pruitt, Fair Board President. “Our board is made up of 11 volunteers and we want to do everything we can to make things grow and progress. By adding this pavilion, we will be able to host numerous events throughout the year that we could not accommodate in the past. It's good to see this type of local support for our fairgrounds.”

The current structure is located on the southwest side of the racetrack and will undergo major renovations to provide a new temperature-controlled pavilion. The building will create venue space for everything from goat shows to indoor flea markets and meeting space. A groundbreaking will take place soon as weather becomes more favorable.

“The Shelby County Fairgrounds has been a great partner of Indiana Grand for years and they are a vital part of this community,” said Mike Rich, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Indiana Grand. “Having space for additional events and programs year-round will benefit a lot of area residents and ultimately generate more visitors to Shelbyville. We are dedicated to continue our investment in Shelbyville and Shelby County and hope this is just the beginning of growth and development for this facility.”

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Caesars Announces $32.5 Million Expansion To Indiana Grand’s Casino

Strengthening its commitment to Indiana, Caesars Entertainment, Inc. shared plans today for a $32.5 million investment to expand and enhance the current casino gaming floor of Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. The expansion is projected to add more than 100 new casino jobs and millions to local and state gaming tax revenues.

Indiana Grand, located in Shelbyville, will add approximately 25,000 square feet to the north end of the casino making room for 100 brand-new slot machines and 25 more table games. Inside the new gaming floor and across the property, guests will enjoy significant updates to design and architectural features.

Additionally, the expanded gaming floor will feature the WSOP Poker Room, a live Poker Room named for and carrying the spirit of the legendary World Series of Poker, the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world. The new WSOP Poker Room will include 20 tables and offer a premium experience with ways to qualify for WSOP land-based tournaments including the Main Event in Las Vegas.

Wilhelm Construction of Indianapolis will begin work on April 1, 2021, with renovations set to be completed by the end of 2021.

Preliminary plans include:

A 5,000 square foot WSOP Poker Room featuring 20 tables
A 20-seat video poker bar with 65” LCD overhead screens
New table games, slots and gaming chairs
New design elements throughout the gaming floor
New surface parking
More than 100 new jobs added to the work force
Millions in local and state gaming tax revenue

“This investment at Indiana Grand is a testament to our continued commitment to Indiana,” said Anthony Carano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Caesars Entertainment. “We are dedicated to enhancing and upgrading our operations at all of our locations, and we're excited to start on several new phases of renovation and expansion in Shelbyville.”

“Since the implementation of table games in early 2020, we have looked forward to expanding our gaming operations,” said Mike Rich, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Indiana Grand. “This growth will allow us to accommodate more guests and add more talented Team Members to the Indiana Grand family, and with the addition of a state-of-the-art Poker Room, we will expand our casino offerings to include some of the most notable programs in the United States, including World Series of Poker.”

Additional details on new hospitality, entertainment, and culinary offerings are anticipated in the coming months, subject to City and Indiana Gaming Commission approval. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com/indiana-grand.

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