A pandemic slashed Indiana Grand’s 2020 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing season and it still thrived.

Despite a two-month delay to the racing season at the Shelbyville facility, Indiana Grand set handle records for single day, single week and total handle for the season.

“We were off until June with three months of inactivity. For about two months I was about the only one in this building which was Twilight Zone stuff,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing at Indiana Grand. “Once we got going and changed our racing days of the week to Monday through Thursday, we found our spot in national wagering.”

The track achieved just short of $200 million wagered in 2020, up nearly 61% from 2019.

“In 92 days of racing last year we were up significantly,” he said. “It was a very strange year. We did things we never would have done unless we were forced to and a lot of it turned out to probably be what was best for us.”

Jeff Brown photos

Indiana Grand Racing is nearly ready for the 2021 racing season.

The 2021 season kicks off Tuesday at 2:25 p.m. with a full schedule of racing.

Racing will take place Mondays through Thursdays weekly until Nov. 8. There are six Saturday racing cards for Quarter Horses only, except Oct. 30 when Thoroughbred races also will be held.

“It’s different running Monday through Thursday and a Saturday here and there, but it has helped the purses and done a whole lot of things for our national image,” said Halstrom.

Like most sporting venues, horse tracks struggled to host events in 2020, especially with live crowds. Indiana Grand found its niche running mid-week and continues to grow even as COVID-19 statistics are still making life difficult.

“A lot of places struggled because they needed a certain amount of days to work,” said Halstrom when asked about the horse racing industry. “It was a mixed bag but we were on the good side of that.”

Indiana Grand recently announced a casino expansion at the facility while the racing side has invested approximately $7 million into improvements on site.

 “We are building a new 100-stall barn and 50 dorm rooms for the help that works back there,” said Halstrom. “There is an 8-slot horse walker that is state of the art.”

Indiana Grand Racing photo

Brayten Gahimer and Bill Jackson sync Indiana Grand Racing's new drone with the current camera system at the horse racing facility in Shelbyville.

Through social media, the track recently released video of a new drone purchased to capture the racing action from unique angles.

“We will be the first track to use a drone in its day-to-day operations,” said Halstrom. “We should be able to get some very neat stuff.”

Despite the difficulties running a racing season in 2020, Indiana Grand has shown it is gaining traction as one of the best racing facilities in the country.

“I know there are a lot of places that wouldn’t even think about expansion,” said Halstrom. “There is a $32 million expansion over in the casino and $7 million-plus in the barn area, so basically $40 million into the facility coming out of a pandemic. Well, we’re still in a pandemic.”

The 2021 Indiana Derby is scheduled for July 7. The 2020 event garnered nearly $6 million of wagering for the 12-race card.

New this year is a day of exhibition races with exotic animals. On July 24, ostriches, camels and zebras will be racing on the Indiana Grand track.