News
O’Keeffe to Provide the Call to Post Opening Night
Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will offer an added touch to the season opener Friday, July 30. Mark O’Keeffe of the All-Star Buglers will provide the call to post for the 12-race program that begins at 5:30 p.m. EST. O’Keeffe will present horses on the track for nine Thoroughbred races and three Quarter Horse races.
O’Keeffe began his career at Belmont Park in 1987 as the track’s official bugler. In addition to being the official bugler for the New York Racing Association, O’Keeffe has served as bugler for Delaware Park. He has been the official bugler for The Meadowlands since 2003. In all, he has performed the “First Call” more than 57,000 times at more than 40 racetracks across the United States and Canada.
O’Keeffe is the founder and director of All-Star Buglers, who have been performing since 1997. The group is comprised of some of the finest free lance trumpeters and race track buglers from all over North America. They have introduced some of the world’s most famous races, including The Hambletonian, The Breeders’ Cup and The Belmont Stakes.
The All-Star Buglers have also been called on to perform the National Anthem for many major league baseball games in Philadelphia and Tampa/St. Pete, and in August of 2003, they were featured on “The Late Show with David Letterman” with a rendition of the “First Call.”
Live Thoroughbred racing will be held five days per week, racing Wednesday through Sunday. The first race will get underway at 5:30 p.m. EST Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays while racing begins at 1 p.m. EST Saturdays and Sundays. In addition to Thoroughbred racing, 27 days of Quarter Horse action will be included on the Thoroughbred cards throughout the meet.
The signature event for the 2010 Thoroughbred meet is the Grade II $500,000-added Indiana Derby set for Saturday, Oct. 2. The main event will be complemented by six other stakes races to boost purse money over the $1 million mark, a first in Indiana Thoroughbred racing history. Other races on the Derby Day card include the Grade II $200,000-added Indiana Oaks and the $100,000 Michael G. Schaefer Mile.
(Photo provided by Mike Lisa - Meadowlands)
For more information on Hoosier Park’s upcoming Thoroughbred racing season, log onto www.hoosierpark.com.