Hoosier Park’s 2016 live harness racing meet will get off to a strong start on Friday, April 1 as the season opener attracted a record number of horses to the entry box.

With over 250 horses entered, a total of 14 races have been carded for Hoosier Park’s opening night that will be highlighted by full fields and quality racing. Post time for the first race is 5:45 p.m.

Friday’s card will offer remarkable value to the horseplayers, as 12 of the 14 races feature 10 or more betting interests. The fully-stocked card includes 10 divisions of the Donnie Conrad Memorial and Rosie Harness Memorial, an overnight series for trotters of both sexes.

“I couldn’t be happier with the response we received for our opening-day card,” Hoosier Park Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Scott Peine noted. “I am very enthusiastic about the 2016 meet and if opening night is any indication of what we have to look forward to this year, we will offer racing fans nationwide one of the best harness racing programs in North America. On behalf of myself and Hoosier Park, I would like to thank all the horsemen and owners for supporting us with entries for opening night and for their continued support throughout the year.”

With eager anticipation among fans and horsemen alike, Hoosier Park’s increase in overall quality of racing in 2016 is expected to significantly surpass that of previous years. Given the recent accomplishments of the Indiana breeding program and a commitment to providing a superior racing product, Hoosier Park has quickly become a major harness racing player on the national scene. The successes of Wiggle It Jiggle It, Freaky Feet Pete, Always B Miki and Colors A Virgin have shown that horses produced in the Hoosier state are ready to take on all comers.

In addition to offering full fields and competitive racing, in late 2015 Hoosier Park initiated a fair-start pole one sixteenth of a mile from the start, ensuring all starters have the opportunity to be at or close to the gate for each race. For the 2016 meet, a much anticipated passing lane and high definition broadcast equipment have been added.

Award winning commentators Emily Gaskin, Peter Lurie and track announcer Steve Cross will guide racing enthusiasts through nightly programs with handicapping tips and analysis. Hoosier Park Vice President and General Manager of Racing Rick Moore added, "We’ve put in a lot of work this offseason and I couldn't be more proud to be working with a truly gifted team as we take our fans through this exciting meet."

On the wagering side of the ledger, all of Hoosier Park’s familiar betting options are back, with an exciting addition. New for 2016, Hoosier Park is proud to introduce the Hoosier High-5, which requires a bettor to select the first five finishers in a race in exact order. With a minimum wager of 10 cents, the Hoosier High-5 will be offered on the last race each night, provided there are at least seven entrants. If there are no winning tickets sold, the net money wagered that day will be carried over to the next day’s Hoosier High-5 pool.

Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will follow a Friday, Saturday schedule the opening week, a Thursday, Friday, Saturday schedule the second week and then resume a Tuesday through Saturday schedule throughout the remainder of the meet. The 160-day season will be conducted through November 12, 2016.

(Hoosier)