A field of eight will go to post Saturday, May 28 in the 18th edition of the $200,000 Dan Patch Invitational for older pacers at Hoosier Park with former winner Won The West leading the post parade
. The race is part of a special evening tagged as Thrillyard 200 featuring more than $18,000 in giveaways courtesy of the Indiana Standardbred Association. The evening will also include 11 divisions of the Indiana Sires Stakes, bringing total purses for the evening to $671,000.
Heading the list of entrants in the Dan Patch Invitational is 2008 champion Won The West, who starts from Post 1. The seven-year-old Western Hanover gelding, who was named Canada's 2010 Older Pacing Horse of the Year, has earnings in excess of $3.5 million. He is coming off a sixth-place finish in the Graduate on May 14 at Meadowlands Racetrack. The Dan Patch Invitational will be his third start of the campaign. Won The West teams back up with driver Ricky Macomber, who guided him to victory in the $125,000 Indiana Pacing Derby at Indiana Downs last season. Macomber also guided the Ron Burke-trained gelding to a second place finish in last year’s event. Won The West makes his fourth consecutive start in the Dan Patch Invitational Pace.
Joining Won The West as a major threat in the race is local favourite Allthatgltrsisgold, driven by Hall of Famer Dave Magee. The four-year-old son of Cams Card Shark is seven-for-eight this season and undefeated at Hoosier Park. Currently on a five-race winning streak, Allthatgltrsisgold is will start from Post 5.
Another top contender is Giddy Up Lucky from the Josh Green barn. The six-year-old Camluck gelding comes to Indiana off a win in the $43,000 Open at Yonkers Raceway and was only beaten a neck in his previous two starts, including a second place finish in the $495,000 Levy Final at Yonkers two starts back. Giddy Up Lucky will be driven by Eric Goodell from Post 7.
This year's Spring Pacing Championship winner Hypnotic Blue Chip will leave from Post 2 with Trace Tetrick driving for trainer Kevin McDermott. The five-year-old son of Art Major has earned over $1.4 million to date.
Five-year-old Western Ideal son Vintage Master, a career earner of over $1.8 million, enters the Dan Patch off a 1:49 victory in the Open Pace at Pocono Downs for trainer Jimmy Takter. He leaves from Post 3 with Dan Dube listed to drive.
The entire Dan Patch Invitational field with driver in post position order includes: Won The West (Ricky Macomber Jr.), Hypnotic Blue Chip (Trace Tetrick), Vintage Master (Daniel Dube), Golden Receiver (Peter Wrenn), Allthatgltrsisgold (Dave Magee), Here We Go Again (TBA), Giddy Up Lucky (Eric Goodell), and Foreign Officer (Peter Wrenn).
Racing fans can participate in a special wager for the Dan Patch Invitational, which is slated as the 12th race with an estimated post time of 9:30 p.m. EST. A $20,000 guaranteed Superfecta will be available on the race as part of the special Strategic Wagering program through the U.S. Trotting Association. The wager will have a minimum bet available of 10 cents and is available through the cooperative efforts of the U.S. Trotting Association, Hoosier Park and the Indiana Standardbred Association.
The Indiana Standardbred Association will offer several promotions during the evening. Beginning at 4:30 p.m., guests age 18 and older can register to receive $10 in wagering vouchers good on any Hoosier Park race that evening. Also, 10 names will be drawn for the “Own A Horse” contest on the 10th race of the evening. The 10 people drawn will select a case with a horse’s name in it. The person holding the case associated with the winning horse of the 10th race will win $2,000. Each contestant in the event will go home with money as a total of $5,000 will be distributed among all people involved in the “Own A Horse” contest.
Following the Dan Patch Invitational, the winning driver of the featured event will draw one name for a 2011 Toro Zero Turn Lawn Mower, also available through the Indiana Standardbred Association. The prize is in cooperation with The Mower Shop of Fishers, Ind. For all rules and details regarding all promotions available through the Indiana Standardbred Association, go to www.indianaharness.com.
Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will also complete the Thrillyard 200 theme with numerous Xtreme Games and activities throughout the night. A series of interactive games will be available including a seven station obstacle course, human wrecking ball and bungee trampoline. Numerous food and beverage stations will be available and live entertainment will be provided in the tent, located on the north end of the Yard, which is adjacent to the racetrack. A $10,000 Xtreme Cash Giveaway will be held at approximately 10:15 p.m. on the casino floor.
The Celebrity Standardbred Drivers, featuring the Fab Five, will compete in the sixth race of the night for a total of $5,000. The race, which has an estimated post time of 7:11 p.m., will pit all nine drivers against one another to raise money for their selected charities.
Also, the 15th annual Gregg Haston Memorial will be held as race four. The race is held each year on Dan Patch Night to honour Haston, who was Hoosier Park’s inaugural leading driver and trainer. Haston was killed in an automobile accident just days after driving in the 1996 Dan Patch.
(With files from Hoosier Park)