Polzin Named Director of Racing at Indiana Grand

Chris Polzin, director of racing and racing secretary at Arlington International Racecourse, is leaving Arlington and has accepted the same position at Indiana Grand. Polzin will begin there Oct. 26, the track said in a release.

Kevin Greely had been Indiana Grand's director of racing and racing secretary before parting with the track this summer.

"I'm very excited and looking forward to joining the Indiana racing program," Polzin said in the release. "The breeding industry in Indiana right now is fantastic and the purse structure is very solid. I have also seen how dedicated track management is to the horsemen and the racing program. Their commitment to see the industry grow is very impressive. I look forward to being part of that vision."

A native of LaGrange Park, Ill., Polzin has been associated with racing since the early 1980s. His father, Elmer Polzin, was a longtime turf writer and handicapper in Chicago, prompting the younger Polzin to seek a job in the industry after college. Polzin was a standout swimmer in Illinois and went on to a junior college national championship title for College of DuPage. He has held many positions at Arlington Park since the early 1980s, from press box statistician to clerk of scales, and his most recent post was as director of racing and racing secretary, a position he held for the past 11 years.

"Adding Chris to our team is a big boost to our racing program," Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing, said in the release. "He is very familiar with the industry in general and brings in a unique perspective of Midwest racing from his many years on the Chicago circuit. We feel the transition for him to transfer into Indiana racing will be a seamless move."

Polzin's departure from Arlington comes at a time of an uncertain future for the Chicago-area track. Although the track was approved for racing dates in 2021, this summer Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Inc., which owns Arlington, told investors in a conference call that the track does not play into CDI's long-term business strategy.