Horseshoe Indy Donation Play
Date Race Horse Result Bet Total Gross Payoff
4/15/25 1st Mondavila 1st $5 W-P-S $21.75
4/16/25 1st Galpin Sunday 1st $5 W-P-S $58.00
4/22/25 6th Renoir 2nd $5 W-P-S $19.50
4/23/25 Scratched
4/24/25 Scratched
5/6/25 4th Sir Bahjy $5 W-P-S

We started a new feature on the Opening Day of the Horseshoe Indianapolis meet last week. To give honor to both the track’s amazing Vice President and GM, Eric Halstrom, and his father, who served honorably and distinguishably in our country’s military, I am doing a bet for most of the dates this year to help raise money for Homeless Veterans in the area.

I am pleased to announce that our pick on Opening Day won and our $5 across the board wager returned a gross $21.75. That total amount will be placed in the till for donation at the end of the meet.

I am, also, pleased to announce that our pick on the 2nd day of racing also won — making us 2-for-2 in the early going. That win returned a whopping $58.00 for a $5 win/place/show wager.

We suffered our first “loss” on the meet’s third live date, when our pick, Renoir, ran a very nice 2nd to the favorite in his career debut. Still, we made a profit and got back $19.50 gross for our $15 wagered. We add that to our total and…

We are now up to $99.25 for our “Donation Play,” which will accumulate throughout the meet and will be paid to help homeless veterans in the Indianapolis area.

Here’s hoping we can keep the dream alive and the earnings growing. Not a bad start to a meet that does not end until November.

And, here’s today’s selection…Play along with us, if you want. More the merrier.

Today’s Play:

We are going to play $5 across the board on Sir Bahyj (11) in the 4th race on the card. This is a 1-mile event that has been moved from the turf to the main track, due to cool temperatures and lots of rain over the past weekend. This 3YO gelding was entered as a “Main Track Only” participant and now draws in after several scratches in the event.

So far in the career, this Indiana-bred has raced 6 times with a record of 1-1-2. On the dirt, though, this one is a 1-0-2 for 4 starts and has earned over $44,000. That gives this one a handsome return of about $11,000 per start on the dirt. Has run at this distance and has Stakes experience, as well, having run a very nice closing 2nd in the Indiana Futurity last November to finish up the 2024 year. Gets back to action now for a trainer who wins with .13% of the last 129 to come off a serious layoff.

The “key,” though, may be the addition of Lasix for today. Barn does NOT do well when adding the anti-bleeder for the first time (winning only at a .04% rate). But this one looks to be a tough out in this one.

I’m going to play $5 win/place/show on the #11 in the 4th race. 

Good Luck & All the Best / Gene