Indiana Grand's 2021 meet concluded Thursday. Randy Klopp, frequently towards the top of the standings, took home his first Thoroughbred trainer's title this year with 59 victories–12 more than the next conditioner–and earnings over $1.2 million. Klopp also teamed up to earn the owner's title with Roger Spiess's Spiess Stable. They partnered for 31 victories at the stand, finishing in the money 59% of the time and racking up more than $621,000 in purse earnings. Marcelino Pedroza Jr. took home his third Indiana leading Thoroughbred rider title with 105 victories, 20 ahead of second, with purse earnings in excess of $3.2 million. Andrea Rodriguez was the Juan Saez Leading Apprentice Jockey with 28 wins. Seven-year-old Wildcard Prado (Fort Prado) was won the Leading Thoroughbred Horse Award after taking six trips to the Indiana Grand winner's circle this season.
The track's Vice President and General Manager of Racing Eric Halstrom was surprised with the “HBPA Excellence of Service Award” from the Indiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. Halstrom is in his second year at the helm of racing operations at Indiana Grand. This year saw record-setting handle, and Halstrom has implemented a number of changes on the wagering front, including lowered take-out and seeding $50,000 on the closing day Pick 5 as a thank you to horseplayers.
“We've had a tremendous year in racing and it's thanks in part to the cooperation and support of the horsemen,” said Halstrom. “I am very honored to receive this award, and it has special meaning since it comes from the horsemen's organization. We work very hard to put on a great show for them and are constantly looking for ways to create a fun and exciting backdrop to showcase our racing product.”
The 20th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing at Indiana Grand will commence next Apr. 19 and run through Nov. 23.
Record Season…
The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino ended Thursday, Nov. 11, completing 123 days of racing. Both breeds brought in record numbers for the year, showing a 47% increase in overall handle compared to similar dates in 2019.
With the shortened season in 2020 due to COVID-19, handle figures are compared to 2019 when a full schedule was conducted at Indiana Grand. Total handle for 2021 came in at $223,204,265 compared to handle in 2019 at $151,791,334. The highlight of the meet was another record-setting day for Indiana Derby with total handle reaching $6,292,388.
“Coming off a strong, but abbreviated 2020 season, we entered the 2021 meet with high expectations in terms of handle,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “We are very pleased that we were able to exceed all of our goals. We have so much to celebrate on the business end of our racing program, but more importantly, we were able to offer a strong racing program thanks to the support of both our Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred horsemen. Our partnership with both breeds allows us to provide promotions and events to complement our racing program. We are really looking forward to the 2022 racing season to continue the momentum.”
Purse money also set new records. Both breeds combined included purses of $36,439,755 over the 123-day meet. A new record for daily purse distribution was also set offering an average of $298,686 per day.
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