Hoosier Park has announced that it will open the racetrack for training Monday, March 1 on a ship-in basis
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The racetrack will be available for horsemen from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. through Saturday, March 6 pending weather conditions. The barn area will officially open to all horsemen Monday, March 8 in anticipation of the track's upcoming 17th season of standardbred racing, which begins Thursday, March 25.
“Central Indiana has been hit with several weeks of inclement weather this winter and as a result, it has delayed the training schedules for horsemen in our area,” the track's general manager of racing, Jeff Smith, was quoted as saying via press release. “Providing this additional week of training should help our horsemen get their horses prepared for our upcoming standardbred meet.”
Horses will be allowed to ship into the standardbred paddock beginning March 1. All horses entering the grounds must have all valid paperwork available before being allowed entry onto the grounds. Horses and horsemen will be required to vacate the property by 2:00 p.m. daily. No access to other portions of the backstretch will be permitted until the official opening of the barn area Monday, March 8.
The 80-day standardbred meet will offer live racing five days per week through Sunday, July 11. Racing will be conducted Wednesday through Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. No live racing will be held Sunday, April 4 in observance of Easter. Two special holiday cards will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day and Monday, July 5 for an Independence Celebration.
(With files from Hoosier)