The name’s the same and facility remains basically the same, but that might be all that’s not new as Hoosier Park opens for its 14th season of harness racing tonight.
Outwardly, the most drastic alteration is the addition of a new sports bar at track level under the grandstand. The area is called the Long Shot Bar.
“When I go to tracks, I like to see different areas that are distinct in appearance,” said Hoosier Park President Rick Moore. “We like to be able to keep things fresh here for our patrons.”
Since the track opening is on a Friday this season, it will also serve as the kickoff for Dollar Night, which will be true every Friday through the end of the live racing season.
Included in the lineup of dollar bargains are: hot dogs, 12-ounce domestic beer, admission and wagering. Any bet that could normally be made for $2 will have a $1 offering as well.
“Turfway Park has offered it, and it has been very popular,” said Moore.
With the addition of buffets on Wednesday and Thursday, there will now be one available for each of the five evenings of live racing. On Wednesday, it will be Comfort Night, featuring foods like fried chicken and meatloaf. On Thursday, International Night takes over. Each of those two buffets will carry an $11.95 price tag, which includes seating and a soft drink or tea beverage.
A few of the changes are directly or indirectly a part of the sale that ushered out previous track owner Churchill Downs and brought in Centaur as sole owner.
One of those changes is the ending of the Twin Spires Club on April 15 and its replacement by the Hoosier Park Rewards Club. Twin Spires members can bring their cards to the information booth and get a card for the new club.
People wanting to join the Hoosier Park Rewards Club who weren’t Twin Spires members can fill out a form and be given a card immediately for the new club.
Accumulated points from the Twin Spires Club will be transferred to the Hoosier Park Rewards Club. Hoosier Park Reward Club members have an added benefit in that they can swipe their cards at one of three stations scattered around the track and immediately be registered for most of the giveaways offered that night without filling out more forms.
With the untimely passing of longtime photographer Jim Linscott, his daughter Jamie Linscott has taken over the family business. She has hired Pendleton’s Terri Kelley as the new track photographer at Hoosier Park.
But while many of the things surrounding and supporting the racetrack have changed, the defending driving and training champions from 2006 return.
Joshua Sutton topped Ricky Macomber Jr. by five wins, 85-80, last season to claim that title. “It always helps to come back in to a track as the defending champion,” said Sutton. “It helps to get you drives. But really it’s still just about winning as many races as you can and not worry about driving titles.”
Don Eash has won four of the last five training titles including the 2006 crown.
“I think I have enough horses where I could contend again,” said Eash. “I might have a few more horses each night than the last couple of years. I expect to have about six to eight every night. I have mostly older horses. The new ones aren’t anything to get excited about yet.”
Eash’s 294 wins rank third on the all-time Hoosier Park win list, just one behind Dan Perdue and just 25 behind Ernie Gaskin, who tops that list.
“We’ve had good response in requests for stalls,” said Kevin Mack, the standardbred racing secretary. “We had 950 applications for stalls. We have 185 horses in for opening night. We have seven new stables here, either horsemen who are here for the first time or for the first time after being gone for a while.”
“For us to have 14 races full for opening night is great news,” said Moore. “I saw that Vernon Downs (Vernon, N.Y.) had to cancel opening night because they didn’t have enough horses for a full card.”
The cold weather is certainly a change from the week before, but one that hopefully won’t prevent fans from welcoming the new season.
“We’re very excited to get started,” said Moore. “The winter weather is back, but we’ve got some great things planned for the weekend.”
Saturday will be like a second opening night at the track, as that night is themed “A Premiere to Remember.”
The first 1,500 patrons 18 and older will receive a coupon for a free T-shirt to be given away after the third race. There will be free popcorn until 8 p.m. The Late Show band will provide live music and will be stationed inside the grandstand area.
There will be barn tours (5:45 p.m. until 7:15 p.m.), an Easter egg hunt, clowns, $1 hot dogs and a movie-themed entrance that will include an outdoor searchlight from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
The gates open at 5:30 p.m., and first post will be at 6:45 p.m.
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Open for business: Hoosier Park race season begins tonight
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