Indiana Derby

A record $5.03 million has been allocated to the 2024 stakes schedule at Horseshoe Indianapolis, a program highlighted by the $300,000 GIII Indiana Derby and the $200,000 GIII Indiana Oaks, each to be contested Saturday, July 6, 2024. Some 42 stakes will be offered over the course of the season, which gets off to a unique beginning on Monday, Apr. 8 to coincide with Total Solar Eclipse Day. The afternoon's features include the appropriately named Dark Side of the Moon and Total Eclipse of the Heart handicaps for Indiana-bred and...

A couple of hours after Aspen Grove (Ire) conjured up a 15-1 surprise in the GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks, Verifying (Justify) validated a quote of 3-5 favoritism--if only just--to best Raise Cain (Violence) in the GIII Indiana Derby. Away alertly for Marcelino Pedroza, Jr, the $775,000 Keeneland September yearling--a half-brother to the magnificent Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute)--was content to lie second and allow the rail-drawn Transect (Gun Runner) to carve out the early fractions. Georgie W (Tapiture) tracked three wide from his high draw, while Cagliostro (Upstart) enjoyed the run...

Highlighted by the $300,000 GIII Indiana Derby July 8, Horseshoe Indianapolis has finalized a 2023 racing season featuring 38 black-type events worth $4.75 million. Eight stakes worth $1.1 million are slated for the Indiana Derby Day card, including the GIII Indiana Oaks. "Each year, Indiana Derby Day continues to grow and sets new handle records," said Vice President and General Manager of Racing Eric Halstrom. "Our racing office staff works very hard to assemble top quality fields for each of these stakes. With all the activities surrounding the event, Indiana...

Horseshoe Indianapolis is proposing a 2023 mixed-meet racing schedule of 123 dates that pares four dates from the Thoroughbred portion of the calendar, down to 117 from the 121 Thoroughbred dates that had been granted this year. Pending approval at this Thursday's Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC) meeting, the 2023 mixed meet will run Apr. 18-Nov. 17. That's roughly the same template that Horseshoe Indianapolis used this past season, although next year's meet is scheduled to end on the Friday before Thanksgiving instead of running into the holiday week and...

The book on training the modern racehorse goes something this: Give them at least six weeks off between races, start them no more than five times a year and never take a chance. It's a book that, apparently, Ken McPeek has never read. Among top-tier trainers, there is no one like him. He'll run fillies against the boys, run back in a week and he's not afraid to throw a 50-1 bomb into a race or, in the case of 2022 GI Belmont S. winner Sarava (Wild Again), a 70-1...

Actuator (Bodemeister), just a $2,200 FTKFEB yearling graduate, stayed perfect on dirt to capture a career high in Saturday's GIII Indiana Derby. Third in his first two tries on grass for trainer Rodolphe Brisset at Horseshoe Indianapolis last term, including going a mile in his juvenile finale Oct. 6, he returned from the bench to air in his dirt debut going seven furlongs in his first try for trainer Michael McCarthy at Churchill Downs last time June 8. With Black Type Thoroughbreds acquiring a 75-percent controlling interest since, 3-1 third-choice...

A total of 38 Thoroughbred stakes races offering more than $4.6 million in purses will be featured during the 2022 racing season at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The season runs Apr. 19 through Nov. 23 and is highlighted by the 28th running of the GIII Indiana Derby Saturday, July 9. That card alone offers $1.1 million in stakes purses and will also feature the GIII Indiana Oaks. Horseshoe Indianapolis will also feature the third Indiana Champions Day Saturday, Oct. 29. The event will showcase 10 stakes combined by Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse...

Already with a pair of Grade III victories in his rearview, JIL Stable's Mr. Wireless (Dialed In) will look to make it three in a row in Sunday night's GIII Oklahoma Derby at Remington. A debut fifth with a tough trip going six furlongs Mar. 4 at Fair Grounds, the gelding earned a pair of hard-fought nose successes Mar. 27 and May 1 at Oaklawn before finishing a close second at 14-1 in the sloppy-track Texas Derby May 31 at Lone Star. Cruising to a sharp 3 3/4-length score in...

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino has announced purse increases for both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing, effective Tuesday, July 6. The increase will add 10% onto all Thoroughbred overnights and roughly $1,000 to each Quarter Horse overnight and trials, which reflects approximately a 6% increase for the sprinters. "We have had a great season so far in 2021 and we are pleased to announce this purse increase across the board for our horsemen," said Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing. "This boost is a direct result of...

The 2021 racing season at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino will feature an expanded stakes schedule of 40 races worth over $3.65 million. The stakes schedule is highlighted by the $300,000 GIII Indiana Derby, which will be held at mid-week for the second time when it is run July 7. That Wednesday card's six-stakes lineup also includes the $200,000 GIII Indiana Oaks. "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...

Making his graded stakes debut and looking to give trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux a sweep of the evening's two graded races, Godolphin's Shared Sense (Street Sense) got a cozy inside trip, tipped out four wide into the stretch and outfinished an unlucky Major Fed (Ghostzapper) to win the GIII Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand. Last but one early, with only Major Fed behind, Shared Sense took the inside route down the backstretch and made two-path progress into the second turn. Major Fed, consigned to a wide run...

It's rare to see a GI Kentucky Derby prep on a weekday, much rarer to find it on a July weekday, but an evenly-matched field of 10 horses will contest the GIII Indiana Derby Wednesday at Indiana Grand with 34 qualifying points for the Run for the Roses up for grabs. Lloyd Madison Farms' Major Fed (Ghostzapper) looks for some racing luck after several wide trips along the Derby trail. A sharp maiden winner on New Year's Day at Fair Grounds, the homebred was second in a division of the...