The $6 million Breeders Crown, harness racing’s richest and most prestigious year-end divisional championship series, is set to return to Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in October 2020.
Harrah’s Hoosier Park has been formally awarded all 12 year-end championship races by the Hambletonian Society, which oversees the Breeders Crown Series.
This will be the second time that Harrah’s Hoosier Park, home of harness racing in the state of Indiana, will serve as the event’s host site.
“On behalf of all the members of the Indiana Standardbred Association I want to express how delighted we are to again partner in bringing the Breeders Crown back to Indiana,” Indiana Standardbred Association President Joe Putnam said. “This showcase of the best talent in harness racing saw Indiana shine on the national stage and we are hopeful to equal or surpass that feat in 2020.”
“Hoosier Park hosted one of our most successful Breeders Crown events in 2017 and we are thrilled they are back in host track rotation again in 2020,” said Hambletonian Society President John Campbell.
“We look forward to working with Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and the Indiana Standardbred Association in raising the bar on hospitality, championship racing and showcasing another world class event.”
Harrah’s Hoosier Park hosted Indiana’s debut of the Breeders Crown in October of 2017, creating a week-long festival that culminated in two nights of Breeders Crown finals. More than $4 million was bet on the events, with a track lifetime record of $2.1 million wagered in one single night.
“Record wagering handles, a sold-out grandstand, entrants and winners from all over North America, a first-class staff and tremendous economic impact for the Anderson community all made the decision to return to Hoosier an easy one,” continued Campbell. “The society is grateful and acknowledges the efforts of everyone involved in the Standardbred industry in Indiana who worked hard to make their state synonymous with world-class racing.”
In addition to record-setting handle at Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s inaugural Breeders Crown, a tremendous showing was made by local representatives, who took home three of the 12 crystal ‘Crown’ trophies.
“Dan Patch Horse of the Year Award winners Hannelore Hanover and Always B Miki are just two Indiana-bred performers who have received accolades at the highest level and we look forward to providing the stage again in 2020,” added Campbell.
Beckhams Z Tam (pictured) was one of three Indiana-sired Breeders Crown winners at Hoosier Park in 2017.
The 35-year-old series has typically crowned champions in every division for trotters and pacers and has been the deciding factor in Horse of the Year honours since 1984. More than $250 million in purse money has been disbursed over 406 events. Originally conceived and executed as a travelling series, the Crown has been contested at racetracks across North America and been raced as a single night as well as multiple night events.
Much like the Super Bowl, the season-culminating Breeders Crown series does not have a fixed venue. The Breeders Crown races were held at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Pennsylvania in 2018 and will be hosted at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 2019 before heading to Harrah’s Hoosier Park in 2020.
“Our team at Harrah’s Hoosier Park could not be more thrilled to have harness racing’s premier event returning to the Hoosier State in 2020,” said Rick Moore, vice president and general manager of racing for Harrah’s Hoosier Park. “Our team rose to the occasion with great pride in 2017, and without a doubt will do so again next year.”
Harrah’s Hoosier Park was purchased by Caesars Entertainment in July of 2018, and the 2020 Breeders Crown will be the first championship event hosted under the Caesars Entertainment umbrella.
“Caesars Entertainment and our team at Harrah’s Hoosier Park are honoured to host the 2020 Breeders Crown and once again showcase our team, community, our horses, and state of Indiana,” said Trent McIntosh, senior vice president and general manager of Harrah’s Hoosier Park. “We look forward to working with the Hambletonian Society and the Indiana Standardbred Association in making next year’s event our biggest and best championship racing event yet.”
(Hambletonian Society / Breeders Crown)