from the Indiana Horse Racing Commission

Indianapolis, IN — Celebrating the grassroots of harness racing in Indiana, the Indiana Standardbred Breed Development Program and the Indiana Horse Racing Commission are proud to announce the dates for the 2018 Indiana-Sired Fair Circuit.

The Indiana-Sired Fair Circuit is for Indiana-Sired and Bred Standardbred horses, meaning they were foaled in Indiana and their sires stand in the state of Indiana. Races are held for 2- and 3-year-old pacers and trotters, and horses are nominated by their owners each year they race

Throughout the summer, the racehorses compete to earn points from each stop. The top eight in each division are invited to compete for the Indiana State Fair championships, held during the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis Aug. 9, where the winners take home $20,000 in purse money. The horses ranked ninth through 16th will compete earlier in the day in the consolations for purse money totaling $8,000.

The first set of county fair races will commence June 6-7 (4 p.m. post time) and June 13-14 (11 a.m. post time) at the Converse Fairgrounds in Converse, Ind. All races are open to the public.

“Indiana’s harness racing program began with racing at its county fairs,” said Jessica Barnes, Director of Racing and Breed Development for the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. “Racing at these venues can be traced back to the early to mid-1800s, and we are excited that our Fair Circuit program continues that tradition and continues to get stronger every year.”

The remaining Indiana-Sired Fair Circuit racing schedule is as follows:

• June 18 – Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis (11 a.m. post time)
• June 21-22 – Harrison County Fair, Corydon (1 p.m. post time)
• June 27-28 – Shelby County Fair, Shelbyville (4 p.m. post time)
• July 2-3 – Clinton County Fairgrounds, Frankfort (1 p.m. post time)
• July 7 – Jayland Trotting Association, Portland (10 a.m. post time)
• July 9-10 – Clinton County Fairgrounds, Frankfort (6 p.m. post time)
• July 14 – Noble County Community Fair, Kendallville (10 a.m. post time)
• July 14 – Newton County Fair, Kentland (12 p.m. CDT post time)
• July 17-18 – Shelby County Fairgrounds, Shelbyville (11 a.m. post time)
• July 21, 23, 24 – Elkhart County 4-H Fair, Goshen (11 a.m. post time)
• July 30-31 – Fayette County Free Fair, Connersville (11 a.m. post time)
• Aug. 4 – Jayland Trotting Association, Portland (10 a.m. post time)
• Aug. 8-9 – Indiana State Fair, Indianapolis (Grand Circuit on 8/8 with 6 p.m. post time, ISFC consolations on 8/9 with 11 a.m. post time, ISFC championships on 8/9 with 6 p.m. post time)

Point standings will be updated after each set of races and posted on the Indiana Horse Racing Commission’s website: www.in.gov/hrc/2524.htm (a list of all eligible horses can also be found here).

“The fair program is a vital piece of the racing program in Indiana because of the opportunity it gives trainers to develop young horses (2- and 3-years-old) into racehorses,” said Dwayne Rhule, Chairman of the Indiana Standardbred Advisory Board.

For more information on the Indiana Sired Fair Circuit, reach out to the IHRC at 317.232.2897 or by emailing Standardbred@hrc.in.gov.