For the second consecutive year, Hoosier Park provided guests a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity to place a $10,000 Kentucky Derby win bet on the horse of their choice in this year’s edition of the Kentucky Derby and for the second consecutive year, a winning bet was made.
The winner had to wager the entire $10,000 sum on the horse they believed would win first place honours. The winner was randomly selected and confidently, without hesitation, selected California Chrome as his horse. Thousands made their way to Hoosier Park to watch and wager on the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby, but it was Patrick Yingst that walked out with the thousands, 35 to be exact.
Supported as the 5-2 bettors’ choice, California Chrome kept his win streak alive and collected his fifth straight victory in the G1 Kentucky Derby with Victor Espinoza aboard for trainer Art Sherman.
The $10,000 mega-bet promotion culminated two of the biggest days in the sport of horse racing as Hoosier Park also welcomed guests with extended hours, wagering promotions, and property wide dining specials for the Derby day festivities.
Yingst, currently residing in Kentucky, ventured to Hoosier Park Racing & Casino to enjoy this year’s Run for the Roses with his two sisters who live in Indiana.
“We hardly ever get the chance to be together so it was really cool we were all here today,” Yingst said with tears in his eyes after his horse crossed the wire. “They told me to bet on California Chrome and of course, I would have blamed them if we lost, but I owe this all to my sisters for helping me pick the horse.”
With his sisters by his side, Yingst was all smiles after California Chrome crossed the finish some five lengths in front of his closest competitor. The prize money will stay in the family as Yingst plans to share it with his sisters and his father, who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“I think we are as happy as the winning jockey and trainer,” Yingst’s sister, Joanna Wooten, noted with a laugh. “We did not expect this coming here today but we are so happy. I know our father is at home doing somersaults in his living room right now.”
(Hoosier Park)