Hall of Famer Stan Bergstein at Hoosier Park

The Dan Patch Invitational is rich in tradition at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. The track’s first major event of any breed kicked off the inaugural racing season in 1994 with a purse of $40,000. Ready to Rumble with driver Trevor Ritchie bested a field of six to win the event in a time of 1:53.1.

 

Now sporting a purse of $200,000, the 17th edition of the Dan Patch Invitational is known as Hoosier Park’s signature harness event, displaying one of the fastest miles of the year each season. In all, three former winners of the Dan Patch have held the overall track record. The current track record was established at 1:48.2 set by Pacific Fella and Cat Manzi in 1998, which at the time was a world record on a seven-eighths mile oval.

 

In addition to the 17th edition of the race, there will be other activities at the track, including a special recognition of harness racing icon Stan Bergstein. Stan Bergstein, executive director of Harness Tracks of America, makes a special appearance at Hoosier Park. In addition to 49 years of service in the industry, Bergstein is a well-respected columnist and television talent and is a regular contributor for Hoof Beats, the Canadian Sportsman, Las Vegas Today, and the Daily Racing Form

 

The 2010 field for the Dan Patch Invitational brings in an impressive lineup of horses. The average career win time of the nine-horse lineup is 1:48.4 and the field has earned in excess of $8.9 million and 161 career wins. Three horses have earned more than $1 million with Won The West, 2008 Dan Patch winner, earning the most money at more than $2.3 million.

 

Won The West also holds the quickest career win time, earning a 1:47 clocking last year at The Meadowlands. The six-year-old son of Western Hanover is tied with Art Official from the 2009 race as the quickest horse to ever step foot on the track at Hoosier Park.

 

An icon in the harness racing world will also be recognized. Stan Bergstein, executive director of Harness Tracks of America, makes a special appearance at Hoosier Park. In addition to 49 years of service in the industry, Bergstein is a well-respected columnist and television talent and is a regular contributor for Hoof Beats, the Canadian Sportsman, Las Vegas Today, and the Daily Racing Form.

 

Hoosier Park will also recognize inaugural driving and training champ Gregg Haston, who perished in a car accident in 1996. A native of Carmel, one of the last races Haston drove in was the Dan Patch Invitational, guiding Viking Commander to a fourth place finish that season. He is remembered each year with the Gregg Haston Memorial Pace, which is slated as the second race on the program.

 

The Dan Patch Invitational Pace is accompanied by a new twist in 2010 as Thrillyard 200 joins the evening. Presented by the membership of the Indiana Standardbred Association, the evening will include numerous extreme sporting activities in The Yard, including a bungee trampoline, paintball course, Frisbee trick dogs, and wrecking ball challenge. All activities begin at 5 p.m. Live entertainment from Mix Factory gets started at 6 p.m. in The Yard. The evening will be topped off with one lucky fan winning their choice of an extreme sports prize, which includes a personal watercraft, super sports bike, or $10,000 in Thrill Cash. The winner will be announced at approximately 10:15 p.m. 

 

Prior to the first race, the Fab Five drivers along with Challenger Peter “The Wolf” Wrenn will conduct the second round of Charity Chariots. Racing fans will have the unique opportunity to sit behind a racehorse and tour Hoosier Park’s seven-eighths mile oval with their favorite driver. The trip on the double-seated jog cart is $20 and all proceeds go to the drivers’ selected charities. Rides will be conducted from 4 – 5 p.m. at the Grandstand Paddock, just south of the grandstand.

 

The Fab Five and Wrenn will also serve as judges for the local BBQ contest. The drivers will select a winner for the top prize, which will be announced following the first race. Samples will be available to fans while supplies last.

 

The Dan Patch Invitational will be led to post by local racing hero Foxy Maneuver. The Indiana sired gelding earned nearly $900,000 during his career and competed in the Dan Patch Invitational in 2004, finishing fourth. Retired from racing in 2007, Foxy Maneuver is back on track tonight and can be seen up close in the grandstand paddock along with the horses in the Dan Patch.

 

The official Parade Marshall for tonight’s event is trainer Rachel Matthews aboard her former Standardbred racehorse Survive This. “Meatball,” as he’s affectionately known in the barn, is a perfect example of the versatility of the Standardbred following life on the track. The gelding was raised from a bottle by Matthews and earned 10 wins and $27,000 before his retirement from racing in 2007.

 

The Dan Patch Invitational Pace is slated as the 13th race on the 14-race card. Estimated post time for the event is 9:30 p.m. EST. It will be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite radio’s newest racing program “Saturday Night at the Races” on Sirius channel 126 and XM channel 243. (Hoosier Park)