Lurie Joins Hoosier Park, Indiana Grand Teams
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Nationally acclaimed horse racing analyst and commentator Peter Lurie has joined the broadcast teams at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. Lurie will make more than a dozen appearances throughout 2015 with the first appearance this weekend at Hoosier Park beginning Friday, April 3, according to a release.
"We are beyond excited to have someone of Peter's stature joining our team in Indiana," Jim Brown, president and chief operating officer of Centaur Gaming and general manager of Indiana Grand, said in a statement. "Peter is well respected all over the world in horse racing and having his insight into our racing product on a regular basis is phenomenal."
Lurie has been on the sidelines covering many major races, ranging from the Saratoga Race Course meet to the Florida Derby (gr. I). He also served as a host for HRTV's syndicated weekly show "Across the Board," which had international viewership.
Lurie has covered both the Indiana Derby and the Dan Patch Invitational at Indiana Grand and Hoosier Park, respectively, and has also provided past support to some of the major Quarter Horse stakes in the state of Indiana.
"Being able to continue my love of horse racing at two great facilities in the Midwest is wonderful," said Lurie. "I believe Centaur Gaming is on the cusp of something truly special and I feel very fortunate to be asked to be part of its growth. I'm looking forward to assisting them in taking their racing signals to the next level in the Thoroughbred and the Quarter Horse racing industry as well as in the harness racing world."
In addition to special appearances throughout the racing season, Lurie will provide daily handicapping for the live production at Indiana Grand. In addition, he will provide frequent call-ins and video to both facilities as well as conduct interviews and additional television coverage while on property during the season.
"Adding Peter to our team is a great way to kick off our 2015 racing season," said Rod Ratcliff, chairman and chief executive officer of Centaur Gaming. "Peter (Lurie) will enhance our current broadcast by expanding our on-air coverage of our racing programs, something we continue to strive for at both locations."
Lurie will provide support to the current broadcast team of Emily Gaskin, racing personality and on-track analyst, and Steve Cross, announcer, at Hoosier Park. He will also bring his expertise to the broadcast team at Indiana Grand, which consists of Bill Downes, announcer, Rachel McLaughlin, racing personality and on-track analyst, and Nancy Ury-Holthus, paddock analyst.
In addition to his work in horse racing, Lurie will continue to lend his voice to numerous projects including animated series, commercials, and video games in the Los Angeles area. He has served as an actor for more than 30 years and brings characters to life with his voice-over work, including Leatherhead from the popular "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" television series.
Live harness racing is now underway at Hoosier Park through Saturday, Nov. 14. Racing is conducted Tuesday through Saturday with a first post of 5:15 p.m. ET. Live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing returns to Indiana Grand Tuesday, April 21. The 120-day race meet will be conducted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 2:05 p.m. with first post for Saturdays set at 6:05 p.m. Thursday racing will be added Sept. 17.