Dr. James Carmichael, Ernie Gaskin Inducted Into Indiana Horse Racing Association Hall Of Fame

The Indiana Horse Racing Association (IHRA) held its annual banquet to honor and induct two new members to the Hall of Fame Sunday, Oct. 24 at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. Dr. James Carmichael, inducted posthumously, and Ernie Gaskin were the 18th and 19th individuals added to the prestigious list of leaders who have worked tirelessly to promote and support horse racing in the state of Indiana. Rachel McLaughlin served as emcee for the ceremony.

Dr. James Carmichael, a longtime resident of Sullivan County, was a career advocate for Quarter Horse racing. The graduate of Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine owned a veterinary practice in Sullivan, Ind. prior to his death in 2009. He was one of the initial members appointed to the Quarter Horse Breed Development Committee. Carmichael was instrumental in developing the program for owners and breeders that has flourished over the past 25 years. He was later appointed to the Thoroughbred Breed Development Committee and was elected chairman.

Randy Beard, longtime friend of Carmichael, provided a look at Carmichael's career in racing and talked about how he joined his father, Eugene, at an early age to run Carmichael Stock Farm. The official resolution was read by Brian Elmore, also a native of Sullivan County and family friend, prior to the unveiling of the portrait of Carmichael.

Jan Carmichael, Jim's wife, accepted the award on behalf of Jim, and was joined by family members during the induction. Jan noted Jim's love of horses and his dedication to racing during his life.

“I want to thank the IHRA for this wonderful honor,” said Jan. “Jim would have been so proud to see how racing has evolved in Indiana, and he would be so happy to be recognized for his involvement. He loved racing and horses so much. My family and I thank you for honoring him with this award.”

Following the induction of Carmichael, Rick Moore, Vice President and General Manager of Racing at Harrah's Hoosier Park, provided a look at Ernie Gaskin's life in racing. He arrived in Indiana in the early 1990s and it didn't take long for industry leaders to recognize his expertise and leadership in the sport. Gaskin was an initial member of the Standardbred Breed Development committee and brought a wealth of knowledge on racing from his days working as an assistant trainer for Bill Haughton, Hall of Fame driver and trainer.

Moore pointed out Gaskin's endless hours working to establish a breeding and racing program in the state as well as his work on related projects such as lobbying for casino gaming at racetracks, enhancing the breed development funding, and providing positive solutions to better the sport. Moore also noted Gaskin's success as a trainer in the state. He has two leading trainer titles to his credit at Harrah's Hoosier Park and conditioned four Indiana Sires Stakes champions in addition to hundreds of other horses that have prospered over the past 25 years.

Following the reading of the resolution by Moore, Gaskin was welcomed to the stage by a standing ovation before delivering an emotional heartfelt speech to the room.

“I have to thank my partner, my wife, Darla,” said Gaskin. “She should be in this photo with me. She has worked so hard right along with me to make racing a success in Indiana. One thing I learned from Bill Haughton is 'surround yourself with good people' and wow, what a great group of people we have here in Indiana. We have come a long way in the program and there are so many people who helped along the way. I'm so very proud of where we are now and what we have all accomplished.”

Both portraits of Carmichael and Gaskin were painted by artist Melinda Spear-Huff of Sheridan, Ind. They will join the other 17 portraits on IHRA Hall of Fame display on the Mezzanine at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.

The IHRA, a non-profit organization, was formed in 2014 to recognize, educate, and preserve the history of horse racing in the state of Indiana. A board of seven currently oversees the operations of the IHRA, including Joe Davis, President of the Indiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing at Indiana Grand, Paul Martin, President of the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana, Trent McIntosh, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Harrah's Hoosier Park, Rick Moore, Vice President and General Manager of Racing at Harrah's Hoosier Park, Joe Putnam, President of the Indiana Standardbred Association, and Steve Jarmuz, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.

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Hoosier Park Announces Expanded Wagering Menu, Streaming Options For Breeders Crown

Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, in conjunction with the Hambletonian Society, has announced the addition of several guaranteed wagers and multi-leg wagers for the 37th edition of the Breeders Crown, harness racing's annual series of 12 championship races, which will be held on Oct. 30 and 31, at Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. First post for both nights will be 6:00 p.m. EDT.

The two-year-old Breeders Crown finals will highlight the 15-race card on Friday evening while the sophomore and open competitors will take center stage on Saturday evening. The first Breeders Crown race will be race eight each evening and will have an estimated post time of 8:24 p.m. EDT.

In addition to the regular pick-4 sequence in races 3-6, two pick-4 sequences have been added to both Friday and Saturday's cards. A $20,000 Guaranteed Pick-4 will be featured in races 7-10 with a $40,000 Guaranteed Pick-4 in Races 12-15. Harrah's Hoosier Park will also guarantee their signature wager, the Hoosier High-5, at $20,000 each night and will be featured in Race 15 with a 12% reduced takeout.

A special all-stakes pick-8 has been added to the wagering menu for Saturday's card and will begin with the first Breeders Crown race, race 8. The pick-8 will be guaranteed at $10,000.

“Our racing fans will notice a number of additional wagering pools when they begin handicapping our Friday and Saturday Breeders Crown racing cards,” said Harrah's Hoosier Park VP and GM of Racing, Rick Moore. “We believe these pools will be well received and will provide value and liquidity for those participating and fortunate enough to select the winning combinations.

The entirety of our wagering menu is designed to bring added excitement to two incredible racing cards featuring the greatest equine and human stars our sport has to offer.”

The full list of multi-leg wagers for this weekend's Breeders Crown cards is listed below:

Friday:

  • Early Pick-4 in Races 3-6
  • Pick-5 in Races 1-5, 6-10 and 11-15
  • $20,000 Mid-Card Pick-4 in Races 8-11
  • $40,000 Late Pick-4 in Races 12-15
  • Jackpot Pick-6 in Races 10-15
  • $20,000 Guaranteed Hoosier High-5 in Race 15

Saturday:

  • Early Pick-4 in Races 3-6
  • Pick-5 in Races 1-5, 6-10 and 11-15
  • $20,000 Mid-Card Pick-4 in Races 8-11
  • $10,000 Guaranteed All Stakes Pick-8 in Races 8-15
  • $40,000 Late Pick-4 in Races 12-15
  • Jackpot Pick-6 in Races 10-15
  • $20,000 Guaranteed Hoosier High-5 in Race 15

Harrah's Hoosier Park will provide a free live high-definition streaming of the entire Breeders Crown racing cards on YouTube and can be found by clicking here. The live stream broadcast will be part of a week-long coverage leading up to the Breeders Crown finals. Harrah's Hoosier Park's social media feeds will also stream the Breeders Crown event week festivities. In addition to live streaming, there will be over 500 outlets receiving the Harrah's Hoosier Park racing signal including Australia and for the first time the Harrah's Hoosier Park live racing signal will be seen in the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark.

Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will host the 2020 Breeders Crown Finals with limited spectators, in accordance with the approved health and safety plan for the event.

“Our team at Harrah's Hoosier Park remains focused on hosting a highly-successful Breeders Crown, in partnership with the Hambletonian Society, the Indiana Standardbred Association, and the Indiana Horse Racing Commission,” Moore noted. “We will once again execute a top-notch, two-night event to decide year-end honors for the best harness racing athletes in North America, all while keeping the safety of our guests, team members, and racing community at the forefront of our event.”

The 2020 Breeders Crown event, presented by The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership, will be the 37th edition of the $6 million event. For more information on the Breeders Crown or upcoming events at Harrah's Hoosier Park, please visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

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