For Immediate Release
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Additional Outdoor Video Screens and More Reserved Seating Just Announced for Big Weekend
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Thursday, June 7, 2012) – Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie is doing the Texas-Two Step this weekend in a big way with a pair of big events back-to-back beginning Friday night with Eli Young Band in concert and Saturday,of course, the 144th running of the Belmont Stakes. Crowds upwards of 40,000 are expected through Sunday.
Friday night, June 8, Eli Young Band will perform after the last live race. The concert is free with $5 General Admission until 9 p.m., or $20 after 9 p.m. Anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a legal guardian of 30 years of age or older.
Saturday will mark 34 years to the day since the Sport of Kings crowned a champion, a Triple Crown champion, that is. When you really think about it, the almost three and a half decades that have passed since that day in 1978 when Affirmed won the final jewel, the Belmont Stakes, you wonder if this will finally be the year we have another.
Can I’ll Have Another give the world another? Can he become the 12th horse in history to win all three of the most coveted jewels in all of horse racing? Can he end this 34-year drought? All of these questions are going to be answered this Saturday, June 9. And Lone Star Park is the best place to be for this historic day in Thoroughbred racing. It’s the only place in North Texas to watch and wager on the big race.
Post positions for the 144th running of the Belmont Stakes were drawn Wednesday. The stage is set. I’ll Have Another has drawn post number 11 out of a field of 12 competitors and was made the 4-5 morning line favorite.
The field with post position, trainer, jockey and morning line odds:
1. Street Life Chad Brown Jose Lezcano 12-1
2. Unstoppable U Ken McPeek Junior Alvarado 30-1
3. Union Rags Michael Matz John Velazquez 6-1
4. Atigun Ken McPeek Julian Leparoux 30-1
5. Dullahan Dale Romans Javier Castellano 5-1
6. Ravelo’s Boy Manny Azpurua Alez Solis 50-1
7. Five Sixteen Dominick Schettino Rosie Napravnik 50-1
8. Guyana Star Dweej Doodnauth Shivmangal Kent Desormeaux 50-1
9. Paynter Bob Baffert Mike Smith 9-1
10. Optimizer D. Wayne Lucas Corey Nakatani 20-1
11. I’ll Have Another Doug O’Neill Mario Gutierrez 4-5
12. My Adonis Kelly Breen Ramon Dominguez 20-1
Approximate post time is 5:40 CDT.
Additional Seating
The Courtyard Veranda tent is now available for 200 first come first served customers. Please call 972-263-RACE. Reservations are $10 per ticket plus a mandatory $18 buffet.
Plus, we will put on sale 100 additional seats at gate opening on Saturday in our Dash for Cash room on the first level for only $10 plus a cash bar.
Clubhouse upgrades, which are standing room only, on Saturday for $8, will also be available when gates open at 11:30 a.m.
Additional Outdoor Video Screens
A new viewing experience awaits those attending the festivities this weekend. In addition to the infield JumboTron, there will be two 9’ by 12’ HD GoVision screens set up. One on the Bar & Book lawn and one for the extended perimeter, so you won’t miss a beat of the Eli Young Band concert Friday night, nor a stride of the Belmont Stakes Saturday.
Also Happening at Lone Star Park This Weekend
On Friday
Drive-thru wagering will be available at Gate 2 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
Advance wagering will be available on Friday, June 8 for all of Belmont Park’s races Saturday and can be made at either the Bar & Book, which opens 10:30 a.m. or the Grandstand, at 5:00 p.m.
Grandstand Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and first live race is at 6:35 p.m.
Live Music on the Courtyard of Champions stage by Prophets and Outlaws from 7 p.m. until the start of Eli Young Band concert. The concert is free with $5 General Admission until 9 p.m., or $20 after 9 p.m. Anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a legal guardian of 30 years of age or older.
Bar & Book Happy Hour every Monday through Friday 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Customers can check out the new Bar & Book, Lone Star Park’s newly-renovated simulcast facility. Happy hour specials include $3 well drinks and $2 select domestic drafts. Admission and parking to Bar & Book is free.
On Saturday
Drive-thru wagering will be available beginning at 8:00 a.m. at Gate 2 and will be available up until post time of the Belmont Stakes.
Jockeys & Java starts at 8:30 a.m. Get a complimentary continental breakfast of breakfast burritos and muffins or a Danish, while observing the horses’ morning training and listen to insights and commentary from Track Announcer, John Lies and special guests. Afterwards, everyone can enjoy an in-depth tour of the barn and stable area. The free morning workout program will continue each Saturday through the remainder of the 2012 Spring Thoroughbred Season.
Grandstand Gates open at 11:30 a.m. – First Live Race, 1:35 p.m.
Live music featuring Russ Lowry and the Expressions on our Courtyard of Champions stage from 1 to 5 p.m.
Family Fun Park will be open from noon until 4:00 p.m.with bounce houses, pony rides and lots of fun stuff.
Post Time for the 144th Belmont Stakes is approx. 5:40 CDT – That is between the eighth and ninth live races.
Bar & Book is showing Pacquiao vs. Bradley Pay-Per-View in the Bar & Book sports bar. The main event will feature global icon, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao defending his Welterweight World Championship against the undefeated Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley. A $20 food & beverage minimum per person is required after 8 p.m. in the sports bar to view this event.
Please make plans to join us. It’s going to be a super exciting weekend at Lone Star Park and you won’t want to miss a minute of it.
For more information on the Belmont Stakes at Lone Star Park, call (972) 263-RACE (7223) or visit the track’s Web site at www.lonestarpark.com .
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Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie, a Class I racetrack operated by Global Gaming Solutions LLC, offers a 53-day2012 Spring Thoroughbred Season which opens Thursday, April 12 and concludes on Sunday, July 8. Live racingwill be held four days a week, Thursday and Friday at 6:35 p.m. (except Thursday, May 31 and Thursday, July 5 when there will be no live racing), and Saturday and Sunday at 1:35 p.m. The racing program on Memorial Day, May 28, will start at 1:35 p.m. Special twilight programs will be held at 5 p.m. on both Tuesday, July 3 (with post-race concert by award-winning country artist Pat Green) and Wednesday, July 4 (with the Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration).
The track’s 26-day, 2012 Fall Meeting of Champions for American Quarter Horses will be held from Sept. 14 to Nov. 10.
Lone Star Park is also home to the multi-million dollar simulcast racebook, sports bar and event venue, Bar & Book. The 36,000 square foot venue is open to the public 363 days a year.
For more information on Lone Star Park visit LoneStarPark.com
Global Gaming Solutions, LLC (GGS), is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chickasaw Nation with a primary business focus of pursuing entertainment, gaming and racing related opportunities in emerging jurisdictions in the United States and overseas as well as acquisition of regional gaming and entertainment assets. GGS LLC is the parent company of GG RP, which owns Remington Park in Oklahoma City, OK and GG LSP. Global Gaming Solutions, LLC, is the track operator who owns the license to operate Lone Star Park and leases the property from the Grand Prairie Sports Facilities Development Corporation.
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