ANDERSON - Hoosier Park in Anderson will open its gates Friday at 5 p.m. for the seventh annual $500,000 Hoosier Cup.
Hoosier Cup usually takes place in August, but with the opening of Indiana's second horse track, Indiana Downs located in Shelbyville, a few adjustments were made.
"It's been hard because we had our established dates and you get into a certain groove, and now with the new industry coming in, it's been a little difficult, but we're holding our own," said director of publicity Tammy Knox.
The Indiana Horse Racing Commission governs both tracks.
The commission had a meeting last fall to determine the race date that would fit best for both tracks, Knox said. This will also be the first summer that Hoosier Park will not be holding live races throughout the summer but will open for patrons to place bets on live races telecasted throughout the country.
"We started our harness meet a little earlier in the spring, but by doing that, Shelbyville wanted the summer time dates," Knox said.
Having the annual race in May instead of August has proved to be beneficial, said director of operations and standardbred racing Kevin Mack.
"This will be the biggest field night we've had here," Mack said. There will be 13 races with 19 participants entered into the race.
The purse will total $1 million.
A purse is distributed to the first five finishers of the race with 50 percent being paid to the winner, 25 percent to the second, 12 percent to the third, 8 percent to the fourth and 5 percent to the fifth.
"Some of the top 3-year-olds in the country will be here Friday night," said Mack. He said drivers from New Jersey, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Canada will be in the race.
"You can expect to have a good time; there are a lot of activities planned," Mack said. Mack said he expects a turnout anywhere between 4,000 and 5,000 people, with the first 1,500 receiving a Hoosier Cup sports bottle. In addition to the races, country star Jennifer Moorman will perform, a 2003 KIA Rio will be given away and Butch Lockley, the fourth finisher on Survivor 6: The Amazon, will make an appearance.
Indiana Downs will hold standardbred live races beginning June 3 and run until October 18, while Hoosier Park's thoroughbred season will begin on August 29 and run until December 4.
The Indiana Horse Racing Commission will meet in October to determine the date of next year's Hoosier Cup.
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