In conjunction with the initiative created by the Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership, Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing and Casino raised $126,189 as part of the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge.

The challenge culminated on Oct. 30, the first night of the 37th edition of the Breeders Crown at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Through different fundraising outlets, four Indiana charities benefitted from the Charity Challenge with Hoosier Burn Camp earning the most of the four. Morning Dove Therapeutic Riding Center Inc., AWS Foundation of Indiana and The Tyler Trent Cancer Research Endowment also received funds from the challenge.

The Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership acted as the official presenting sponsor of the 2020 Breeders Crown at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, the second year that the partnership has sponsored The Breeders Crown series. The partnership, voted Armstrong Breeder of the Year in four of the last five years, was founded more than 25 years ago and has been involved in the breeding of many champions in the sport. Libfeld and Katz bred the sport’s first million-dollar yearling, Maverick, and in 2019 were voted the Stanley Bergstein Proximity Award, one of the sport's highest honours, for the creation and execution of the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge.

The challenge kicked off raising $105,000 at the Lexington Select Yearling Sale on Oct. 6, where buyers could bid on breedings to some of the elite sires for 2021. Stallions featured were Father Patrick, Greenshoe, JK Endofanera, Swan For All, Tall Dark Stranger and Walner. The Father Patrick breeding brought the highest bid at $30,000.

The second fundraising aspect was the Glamour Boy Challenge, where connections of a top-performing three-year-old pacing colt — including Tall Dark Stranger, Cattlewash, Captain Barbossa and Odds On Osiris — would donate one percent of their earnings through Nov. 1. Tall Dark Stranger once again contributed the bulk of the funds, with his connections donating $13,062 to the challenge. With the Glamour Boy Challenge raising a combined total of $21,189, the donation bank for the Charity Challenge reached $126,189.

Fans held a bit of the weight for the final component of the challenge. To determine which charity received the most donations, fans could vote via Facebook for a celebrity spokesperson and the spokesperson’s chosen charity. The winning charity received one-half of the funds, second place received one-fourth, and so on. Jeff Saturday, representing Hoosier Burn Camp, won the fan vote, receiving over half of the 6,723 total votes recorded and earning $63,094.50 for the organization.

Jeff Saturday and the team with Hoosier Burn Camp accepting the cheque from the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge from Harrah's Hoosier Park officials.

“Working with everyone associated with Harrah’s Hoosier Park was absolutely spectacular,” Mark J. Koopman of Hoosier Burn Camp expressed. “Their organization was truly a first-class experience from start to finish. The time, talent and treasure they have invested to help our very deserving adolescent burn survivors with Hoosier Burn Camp is very much appreciated and genuinely difficult for me to express knowing how it will yield such a positive impact.”

The Breeders Crown Charity Challenge was introduced in 2019 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, host of the 2019 Breeders Crown. Breeders Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz wanted to partner with the Breeders Crown to find a creative way to support local charities and strengthen the host track ties to the community.

“I want to thank Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s Tony Renz, who worked so diligently with Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz,” Rick Moore, vice president and general manager of racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, noted. “I also would like to thank our four local charities in making our Charity Challenge a phenomenal success. Giving back to our community is at the core of what Harrah’s Hoosier Park and the entire harness racing industry represents.”

The 2020 Breeders Crown at Harrah’s Hoosier Park also pulled in its largest handle in the 27-year history, with a total of $2,474,344 wagered on the 15-race card on Oct. 31. The previous track record for handle on a single program was set during the 2017 Breeders Crown at $2,063,985.

The 2020 edition was also a two-night record for the track with a total of $4,297,864 wagered on Breeders Crown Championships compared to the two-night total of $3,837,869 wagered in 2017. For more information on the upcoming live racing schedule at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, please visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

(Harrah's Hoosier Park)