Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Hoosier Park 2010
Future bright, purses climbing as season opens

March 26, 2010

The 2010 Hoosier Park standardbred season gets under way today with both the short-term and long-term racing prospects still promising

The purses for harness racing continue to climb, fueled by money from the casino intake. As the purses climb more horsemen are moving to the state permanently.

“The racing story in Indiana is superb,” said Jeff Smith, general manager of racing at Hoosier Park. “Our breed development program is strong. We’ve brought a lot of attention to Indiana. There are a lot of positive signs.”

Peter Wrenn, a Michigan native, moved his family to the Carmel area. “I hated leaving up there,” he said. “I still have a farm there. But I could be away from my family for nine or 10 months out of the year. They understood and they love it here. Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs have made Indiana the place to be in the Midwest.”

This year the standardbred season runs from Thursday through Sunday each week. First post every day but Sunday is 5:30 p.m. On Sunday the first post is 1 p.m.

The season has three marquee events. The Hoosier Cup will be May 29, the Dan Patch Invitational June 26 and Indiana Champions Day on July 10. Weather has played a factor in the numbers that will be shown on the first weekend of the meet.

“We’re a little short on horses for the first two draws (days) because of the hard winter,” said Standardbred Racing Secretary Kevin Mack. “Some of the trainers are a little bit behind. But we had 17 qualifiers (races) a week ago and 20 last Friday. Our nominations are down for the Hoosier Cup but that’s a trend across the country. But our numbers will be OK. With a lot of the states around us not having slots, we’re getting those horses.”

Wrenn returns to defend the driving title he wrenched away from Ricky Macomber Jr. a year ago.

“I’m pleased with the first couple of draws,” said Wrenn. “I’ve got some good horses to drive. It seems like the owners and trainers have some confidence in me. I took a lot of the winter off, which I don’t usually do. I feel like I’m fit and ready to go. There are a lot of good drivers here so the competition will be tough.”

Mark Deaton will also return to defend his training title from a year ago.

On Tuesday of this week, Hoosier Park’s Fab Five drivers got together to hand out checks to their charities from Charity Chariots program of a year ago. During each Saturday in June fans could pay $20 to get a ride behind a horse in a two-seat cart with one of the Fab Five drivers. Half of that went to the driver’s favorite charity and half went to the Harness Tracks of America scholarship fund.

The drivers and their charities included: Joe Putnam, Outfitters Inc. of Pendleton; Ricky Macomber, Indiana School for the Deaf; Mike Peterson, Shriners Hospital for Children; Jason Dillander, American Cancer Society; and Trace Tetrick, Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Each check was for at least $1,000.

This year a sixth driver is being added to challenge the Fab Five, and he is Wrenn. He will donate funds to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“When Hoosier Park puts in the time to publicize harness racing like this and for a good cause, you don’t mind giving them the time,” said Putnam. “This is one of the tracks that really does promote harness racing.”