News
Big Brown Goes for the Triple Crown –
The 140th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park may be a day in horse racing history. Big Brown, the overwhelming winner of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness will attempt to be the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. The three-year-old son of Boundary starts from post position one in the 10-horse lineup. 
Big Brown will be guided by regular jockey Kent Desormeaux. He has won all five of his career starts and now has earnings in excess of $2.7 million. His biggest opponent is Casino Drive, who will start from post five for rider Edgar Prado at odds of 7-2.
Casino Drive began his career in Japan, winning his only start abroad. He was an easy winner in the Grade II Peter Pan Stake at Belmont in May and heads into the Belmont Stakes also undefeated. Also, a win in the Belmont Stakes would give his mother, Better Than Honour, three consecutive winners of the Belmont Stakes. She is also the mother of Jazil, winner in 2006, and Rags to Riches, winner of last year’s Belmont and the first filly to do so in the past 102 years.
The Belmont Stakes is slated as race 11 on the 13-race card that begins at 12 p.m. Estimated post time for the $1 million Belmont Stakes is 6:25 p.m. EST. The live harness racing card will begin at 7 p.m. to accommodate the Belmont Stakes.
Hoosier Park will open its doors early for simulcasting at 10:30 a.m. to accommodate racing fans. Also, advanced wagering on the entire Belmont Stakes Day card will be available at Hoosier Park Friday, June 6.
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Notable-
**Good Post for Big Brown. The inside post one for Big Brown Saturday, June 7 in the Belmont Stakes may turn out to be a lucky charm for the horse. There have been more winners from post one in the past 139 runnings of the event than any other position. A total of 23 horses have won from that spot.
**Casino Grand Opening Sparks a Good Start out of the Gate. More than 10,000 people enjoyed the first day of action in the new 54,000 square foot casino Monday, June 2. Doors officially opened at 9 a.m. with Vicki Haskett and Maggie Jones of Anderson being two of the first patrons through the doors. Haskett was one of the first patrons through the doors during the grand opening of Hoosier Park’s racetrack Sept. 1, 1994.
**Matinee Cards Scheduled. Several harness racing programs will have an earlier post in the final month of racing at Hoosier Park. Friday, June 13, racing will begin at 1 p.m. followed by a 5 p.m. post Saturday, June 14. Post time for Friday, June 20 is set for 1 p.m. and Friday, July 4 will have an early post of 3 p.m. The matinee cards have been created to make way for evening entertainment activities.
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“Quotable”—
**Rick Moore, general manager of racing, on the opening of the casino at Hoosier Park. “Today marks a special time. Today, Anderson has become a destination.”
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Upcoming Promotions-
**$25,000 Saturday Spectacular Sweepstakes Continues. Hoosier Park Rewards members are taking advantage of the $25,000 Saturday Spectacular Sweepstakes. The promotion features $1,000 cash drawings each Saturday leading up to the grand prize Saturday, July 5th. One lucky member will win $10,000 on the final night of the promotion.
**Hoosier Cup Night. The $500,000-est. Hoosier Cup will be the highlight on the card Saturday, June 28 as some of the best three-year-old colt and gelding pacers in the nation make their way to Indiana. The evening will feature several finals of the Indiana Sires Stakes, boosting the total purses for the evening over the $1 million mark. The Flying Toasters will perform live beginning at 7 p.m. and fans will enjoy a special giveaway courtesy of the Indiana Standardbred Breed Development. Post time begins at 6:45 p.m.
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Don’t Forget---
**Live Standardbred racing continues Wednesday through Sunday. The 71-day meet concludes Saturday, July 12. Simulcasting is offered seven days a week. Doors open at 11 a.m.
**To receive Notes & Quotes electronically, e-mail tammyk@hoosierpark.com.
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