A total of 36 Thoroughbred stakes races valued at more than $4.4 million will be featured during the 2016 racing season at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. The season, which gets underway Tuesday, April 19, will be highlighted by the 22nd running of the Grade 2, $500,000-added Indiana Derby slated for Saturday, July 16.
“The move of the Indiana Derby to July last year proved to be a great spot on the summer stakes calendar for three-year-olds,” said Kevin Greely, director of racing at Indiana Grand. “We had a strong field for the race and broke attendance records due to warmer weather. In addition, 20 state stakes for Indiana bred or sired horses were raised from $85,000 to $100,000 in 2016, adding another boost to our stakes program.”
The Indiana Derby will be joined by six other stakes Saturday, July 16 to create a mega racing program beginning at 6:05 p.m. EST. Joining the Derby as one of the highlights will be the 21st running of the Grade 2, $200,000-added Indiana Oaks. Other stakes included on the card will be the $100,000 Mari Hulman George, the $100,000 Michael G. Memorial, the $100,000 Indiana General Assembly Distaff, and the $100,000 Warrior Veterans, all Listed stakes.
The $200,000-added Centaur Stakes and the $200,000-added Indiana Grand head the list of 10 stakes scheduled for the turf course in 2016. Both Listed races will be held Wednesday, Sept. 7 and will be accompanied by the $100,000 A.J. Foyt Stakes and the $100,000 Florence Henderson Stakes, also turf events. The afternoon racing card, which begins at 2:05 p.m. EST, will mark the final stakes of the season over Indiana Grand’s seven-eighths mile turf course.
“By showcasing a lot of our stakes races on Wednesday afternoons, we have become known as one of the premier Thoroughbred tracks mid-week,” said Greely. “This gives us the opportunity to showcase our races in front of a national audience. It also allows us to draw entries from some of the top operations in the Midwest that might otherwise be committed to weekend racing events elsewhere, which only strengthens are racing product.”
Indiana Grand Racing & Casino will begin its 14th season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing Tuesday, April 19. Racing will be conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:05 p.m. EST with a Saturday evening post time of 6:05 p.m. EST. Thursday racing will be added to the schedule in July and August beginning Thursday, July 7 and will feature a 2:05 p.m. EST post time.
For more information or a complete list of stakes for the 2016 racing season, go to indianagrand.com.
(from Indiana Grand press release)