by Tammy Knox, publicity director, Hoosier Park

Anderson, IN — Hoosier Park Racing and Casino recently received approval from the Indiana Horse Racing Commission for dates and post times in 2009.

The facility will offer 80 days of Standardbred racing and 63 days of Thoroughbred racing with 21 of those days including Quarter Horse racing action during the 2009 calendar year.

Live Standardbred racing will return to Hoosier Park on Tuesday, March 24. Racing will be held Tuesday through Saturday each week with a post time of 4:45 p.m. each day except Saturday when racing will be conducted at 12:45 p.m. The meet will run through Saturday, July 11.

Highlights for the 2009 Standardbred season will include the $500,000 (est.) Hoosier Cup, slated for Saturday, May 30, and the $200,000 Dan Patch Invitational Pace, set for Saturday, June 20.

Gregg Keidel, recently named as Hoosier Park’s new Standardbred racing secretary, has also designed a special day of racing to close out the season on Saturday, July 11. A total of $1 million in purses will be offered for a special Indiana Million Dollar racing day, featuring horses bred in the state of Indiana. The 15-race program will include four $150,000 Indiana Sires Stakes 3-year-old finals, two $80,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals for older horses, and four $20,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals for 2-year-olds.