In a state that is well known for its racing industry, from the Indianapolis 500 to the Brickyard, motorsports have always reigned supreme in Indiana. Now Indiana’s other racing industry is making national headlines.
Indiana-sired horses, Always B Miki, Freaky Feet Pete and Wiggle It Jiggleit, finished first, second and third, respectively, in the $500,000 Ben Franklin Pace last Saturday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The winner of the race, Always B Miki, matched the fastest mile in history on a five-eighths-mile racetrack.
These Indiana grown horses are a product of Indiana’s Standardbred Breed Development Program and are taking the racing industry by storm. In the current Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll, which ranks the Top 10 horses in the nation, four of the horses are products of Indiana’s program.
“I believe the performances of Indiana horses speak directly to the success of our program. Our Breed Development Program is producing quality racehorses that have the ability to compete on a national level,” noted Jessica Barnes, director of racing and breed development for the Indiana Horse Racing Commission.
Funds from casino gaming at Indiana’s racetrack have given Indiana’s racing industry the ability to create racing programs that have attracted the highest quality of racehorses, impacting not only racing but also the state’s breeding industry. All sectors of the industry, from racetrack operators to owners, trainers, breeders, and stallion owners, have made significant investments in the horse racing industry and the State of Indiana. The resulting outcome is a breeding and racing industry that has become one of the best, if not the best, in the nation.
(Indiana Horse Racing Commission)