Discover Anderson Fall/Winter 2023 | Page 7

adjacent building accommodates about 60 horses . With live racing scheduled five nights a week during the majority of the racetrack ’ s March-through-December season , the complex is an epicenter of activity for most of the year . For Moore , it also represents Hoosier Park ’ s ascendance in the harness racing industry to one of the sport ’ s premiere destinations .
“ I don ’ t know that we ’ re No . 1 , but we ’ re in the top echelon ,” said Moore , Hoosier Park ’ s vice president and general manager of racing . “ We ’ re up there with the Meadowlands , and then Mohawk up in Toronto … that ’ s a lot to be said for a harness track here in Anderson , Indiana , that has grown from that Sept . 1 day in 1994 .”
That year , Moore noted , the newly opened track hosted the Dan Patch Stakes for the first time and offered a purse of $ 40,000 . That figure is $ 300,000 this year . And , he added , the track expects to distribute more than $ 40 million in purses this year , up from $ 36 million last year .
Improvements and amenities continue to be added to the track as well . Work was recently completed on a $ 2 million project to re-roof several horsemen ’ s buildings on the back side of the track . A new apron near the track ’ s homestretch – a park-like project that will host a variety of family-friendly activities – is expected to be ready for the Breeders Crown .
“ We ’ re continuing to invest back into the product , and we think we ’ ve got an outstanding racing product ,” Moore said .
Concurrently , Hoosier Park officials are also anticipating the completion of a $ 40 million
FALL / WINTER 2023 DISCOVER | 7