The 2021 racing dates for Harrah’s Hoosier Park were approved during the Thursday, Dec. 10 Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC) meeting held at Indiana Grand. A total of 160 days of action will be held in 2021 beginning Friday, March 26 and extending through Saturday, December 4.
default
Joe Morris, senior vice president of racing for Caesars Entertainment, kicked off the presentation for Harrah’s Hoosier Park followed by Rick Moore, vice president and general manager of racing, and Kiersten Flint, vice president of marketing. Moore noted in his presentation the horsemen had requested a longer racing season, so by altering the schedule to start off with four days per week, they were able to extend the season by two weeks into the first week of December.
Moore and Morris also noted a move to Sunday night racing over Tuesday evenings. Pompano Park, which is also in the network of racetracks under the Caesars Entertainment umbrella, is currently racing Sundays with success. By moving Hoosier Park to Sunday nights, the action in that time slot will continue for Caesars Racing and also open up opportunities for growth in handle for Indiana.
Harrah’s Hoosier Park will remain at a post time of 6:30 p.m. with times occasionally adjusted to accommodate for special events throughout the season. Racing will be held on a Wednesday through Saturday schedule through mid-May before adding Sunday evenings. The full schedule continues through September before dropping back down to a Wednesday through Saturday schedule.
Harrah’s Hoosier Park will also offer racing on both the night before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving night. Management saw an opportunity to capitalize on limited racing options both evenings, bringing more racing fans to the Indiana signal.