No Triple Crown Needed at Indiana Grand

Indiana Grand is a local track with lots of flavor. (Photos courtesy of Geoff Worden)
Another potential end to the Triple Crown drought awaits. Sports pages will devote more space to this story than they allocate to horse racing the rest of the year. People who donʼt know the first thing about horse racing will have the name American Pharoah cross their lips repeatedly. This is good news for the sport but itʼs also a great opportunity to remind people of the lesser-known tracks that donʼt grab nationwide headlines but keep the sport alive and relevant.
If the NFL relied only on the Super Bowl to support the sport, how long do you think it would last? Local franchises and regular season games spark interest in the playoffs and the big game. I have always enjoyed the lesser known tracks and will feature a number of them over the next month or so.
Shelbyville, Ind. is the home of Indiana Grand and while the town might be best recognized as a possible setting for 'The Simpsons,' it is only about 30 minutes from Indianapolis. The operation is sprawling, the track beautiful and there are enough dining options to keep you busy for multiple visits.
THIRD FLOOR VIEW

There are a few different places to settle in at a bar or table with plenty of racing on dozens of TVs. The bar in the room where you enter has a decent selection of beer and some really tasty bloody marys ($5 on Sundays but, unfortunately, no live racing). There is another, very similar looking room next door to this one which I entered for the first time on my last visit.
Heading in from the track, we noticed two maintenance guys, one with food in his hand. Miss Wright prefers ordering by sight rather than menu, so she asked, “What do you have there?” “Deep-fried mac ‘n’ cheese,” was the reply. After a, “That looks good,” he offered her one. We knew immediately what we were ordering from the “Family Pavilion.” I opted for a cup of chili and we returned outside to a very blustery day for the next couple of races. There are circular picnic tables (many with umbrellas) available and we had plenty to choose from that day. On busier days, donʼt hesitate to share extra space or ask to join another group.
CHILI AND MAC 'N' CHEESE BITES

The mac ‘n’ cheese bites came with bacon aioli (which I found a bit sweet). They disappeared quickly and were pretty tasty, but might have been more exciting if they were made in-house and werenʼt previously frozen. The chili might not win a blue ribbon at a contest but it was exactly what I wanted: a classic, well-seasoned (not too much of any one flavor) version, with lots of meat and plenty of beans. I gobbled it down quickly, trying to keep chili from flying off the spoon in the driving wind - maybe inside would have been a better idea.
Miss Wrightʼs brother told us to be on the lookout for a horse named Scatterfield. He seemed excited about the horse but we figured he didnʼt realize the fifth race also featured Grandpa Grumpy and Academy Bay. The latter is trained by Steve Asmussen and entered four races (the fifth the day of our visit), winning two of them (including a stakes race), earning $84,000. The former is an Indiana Grand favorite, winning six of sixteen lifetime. When patrons yell out, “We love you Grandpa Grumpy,” you should pay attention. The trifecta was a good pick, though it didnʼt pay much, as Academy Bay had what looked to be an easy ride, “prevailing under mild urging,” while Grandpa Grumpy and Scatterfield placed and showed.
TAQUITOS WITH CITRUS BLUSH MARTINI

We went to explore more of the building, including the suites on the third floor. We received a nice tour of the rooms available for parties and I was happy to snap a photo from above which offers a good view of the race track. No party that day, it was just the two of us, so we headed back to the second floor and the Finish Line Lounge. After perusing the cocktail list, Miss Wright selected the citrus blush martini - “Limoncello, 360 vodka, lime juice, grapefruit juice.” It will be perfect for warm summer weather with lots of fresh lemon on the front end and grapefruit dominating the finish: crisp and cool.
The lounge features a huge, hand-painted mural across the back of the bar and the place was blissfully quiet on this weekday. Our bartender suggested the bacon-wrapped shrimp and the sliders but we chose the house-made taquitos. They were a tad overcooked at the ends but a tasty choice.
FINISH LINE LOUNGE

We wrapped up our day with one of the two quarter horse races also on the card and left. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. Although we didnʼt eat or drink there on this visit, be sure to check out Winnerʼs Circle restaurant at the track. I wrote about that last year, click here to see that post (both dishes reviewed are still on the menu, the Bam Shrimp is exquisite). This is the spot with the most interesting beer selection and it rotates frequently. To give you an idea, here is the craft bottle list as of last week.
WINNER'S CIRCLE CRAFT BEER LIST

As an FYI, the Indiana Derby will be run on July 18th instead of in October, still plenty of time to make your plans. Last year, Rick Pitino, some ex-Indiana Pacers, a Playboy Playmate of the Year and members of the 1954 Indiana state champion team (the team that inspired the movie Hoosiers) were on hand.
California Chrome, “Americaʼs horse,” came up short on a Triple Crown bid just last year. Before he even won the Kentucky Derby, the track where he ran his first three races (and four of his first seven) was closed for good. You may not see potential Triple Crown winners at Indiana Grand but you can see some great racing and partake of delectable food and drink. Get out there and support your local track!