News
Quarter Horse Racing Returns
Quarter Horse racing returns to Hoosier Park Racing and Casino Sunday, Aug. 2 for the first of 23 days offering action for the sprinters. Three races will be held at the conclusion of the card, featuring a $23,500 Allowance race in race 12.
Uncommon Episode from the Ron Raper barn is the morning line choice in the 330 yard event. The two-year-old has one win in three career starts and begins from post three in the seven-horse lineup. Richard Gillard will ride.
Last year’s returning trainer-jockey champs consisting of Tony Cunningham and Juan Delgado will team up with Shawne Bay from post four. Shawne Bay has yet to be worse than third in four career starts.
Cunningham, who is based out of Michigan, scored 12 wins to bring in his first training title at Hoosier Park last season. Delgado, who assists Cunningham at his farm, also earned his first Indiana title, winning 14 races throughout the fall meet in 2008.
Quarter Horse racing in the state of Indiana has experienced a big jump in purse money for 2009. The season will be highlighted by the Grade III Stallion Service Auction Futurity Final set for Saturday, Sept. 5. The event, now in its 12th year, will offer a record purse of $100,000. It will be joined by the Stallion Service Auction Derby Final, running also for an increased purse of $50,000.
Other highlights during the 2009 season for Quarter Horse racing includes the trio of stakes set for Saturday, Oct. 10. The Governor’s Stake, QHRAI Derby, and Grade III Hoosier Park Classic will be contested for purses of $75,000 each. The three stakes were the initial events held during the inaugural season of Quarter Horse racing in 1997, when the purses started at $10,000 each.
The Quarter Horse season will conclude with the Grade III $70,000 Bradford Stakes Sunday, Oct. 18. The race for three-year-olds and upward is part of the John Deere Bonus Challenge, which adds $10,000 into the total purse money.
