We’re talking big money on Indiana Derby day July 7. That prestigious win helped move the Indiana Derby to Graded Stakes status as a Grade III in 2002. The 2001 Indiana Derby winner, Orientate, went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint that same year. Chris Polzin, director of racing at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino, took some time to chat with me about the history and how the race became what it is today and why it continues to grow.
The Indiana Derby wasn’t always a Grade III stakes race, but that all changed thanks to a big win from a great horse back in 2001. This will be the ninth year at Indiana Grand. The Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino is July 7 and marks the 27th since the original running in 1995 at Hoosier Park. The summer’s biggest sporting event in Indiana is just around the corner.
