Hoosier Park Racing & Casino opened their 19th season of Standardbred racing in front of a packed house of racing fans on March 27
. On-track handle was up 94% from the first Tuesday of the 2011 Standardbred meet with one additional race on the card. Export handle also saw some positivity as it was up 15%. The total handle for the night was up an impressive 19% from the previous year.
“There is a level of excitement among Hoosier Park team members and horsemen that participate here like I have never seen before,” Vice President and General Manager of Racing Brian Elmore said of the night. “I am certain that excitement will carry over to our race fans. One night does not make a meet, but I have no doubt that as this year unfolds, Hoosier Park will be recognized throughout the country as the facility that does things right.”
Four divisions of the Miss Windfall Series were co-featured on the thirteen-race card with Royal Passion and driver Jason Dillander posting the fastest division of the night in 1:57.3. Royal Passion protected her rail position to reach the first quarter in :28.4. Driver Walter Haynes, Jr. and Ella J moved to the lead down the backside and led through fractions of :58.4 and 1:27.3. Dillander tipped Royal Passion around the last turn as she cruised home in a :30-second clip to score the maiden-breaking victory. The three-year-old pacing filly is owned by Dobbins Standardbred Inc and is trained by Rod Lorenzo.
Jason Dillander kicked off the season with a bang as he posted five wins on the night. Steering Royal Passion to a score in the first, he followed suit in the second race with Electric Shooter winning in 1:57.1. He returned to the track in the fifth and sixth races to find the winner’s circle once again with Reaching Chip and Blueridge Straight, respectively. Just as they opened the show, trainer Rod Lorenzo and Dillander teamed up once again to close the curtain with Diamond Howard winning the last race in 1:56.4.
Dillander returns to Indiana with a lot of momentum from a solid winter season at Pompano Park in South Florida. Having already recorded 43 wins on the year, he is well on his way to another outstanding season. Now in his 15th season as a driver, Dillander completed his seventh consecutive year with purse earnings in excess of $1 million in 2011. Dillander recently celebrated his 1,700th career driving win while finishing in the top ten of the driving standings at Hoosier Park last year.
(Hoosier Park)