There will be plenty of fan-fare as Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie opens its seventh year of racing on Thursday, April 3, including a salute to the American troops in the Middle East and a giveaway of 10,000 American flags to customers.
Admission gates for the “Opening Night Extravaganza” will open early at 4:30 p.m., followed by opening ceremonies at 5:30 p.m. Season opening ceremonies will include the unfurling of a massive United States flag, a red, white and blue balloon release, a mounted color guard presentation plus renditions of “God Bless America” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

In addition, there will be a special appearance by Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day, who is in town to ride in the traditional first race of the season, the $50,000 Premiere Stakes for Texas-breds. Day, one of only three jockeys to have won more than 8,000 races, will partake in a special free autograph session near the saddling paddock from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Also, jockeys participating in the Premiere – including Day – will be introduced on the main track prior to race, which is set for 6:35 p.m.

Other opening night activities include strolling bands at entrance gates, an appearance by the Garbonzo Brothers (strolling comedians dressed in wild 1970s tuxedos), butt-sketch and tattoo artists, stilt-walkers and a between-race concert by country music artist Dub Miller in the Courtyard of Champions from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Lone Star Park also will stage an opportunity for someone to win $50,000 and drawings for fabulous prizes. Prizes to be given away include Dallas Mavericks playoff tickets, VIP passes to the Byron Nelson Championship and Colonial, a visit to a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders photo shoot, a $1,000 Neiman Marcus shopping spree, a weekend visit to the Mansion at Turtle Creek, a $500 mutuel voucher and trips to this year’s Preakness Stakes and Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie’s season will be conducted for 15 weeks through Sunday, July 13.

Live racing for most of April is conducted on Thursday and Friday nights at 6:35 p.m. Weekend action starts at 1:35 p.m. Beginning April 30, Wednesday night racing will be added to the line-up.

Lone Star Park features a seven-level, glass enclosed/climate-controlled Grandstand, sun-shaded Courtyard of Champions, state-of-the-art, Las Vegas-style Post Time Pavilion simulcast center and the GPX Skate Park &Entertainment Center.
General admission is $3. Parking is $2. Reserved seating can be purchased in person or by calling (972) 263-PONY.

Pick 4 Returns, Heads Wagering Menu

The Pick 4, the popular wager that requires picking the winners of four consecutive races, returns to Lone Star Park for the 2003 season, which begins Thursday, April 3. The betting option, introduced during the 2002 season, will be offered on the last four races of every racing program.

The Pick 4 has quickly become one of the most popular wagers at American racetracks, thanks to payoffs that routinely climb into the thousands. But unlike the expensive and complicated Pick 6, the Pick 4 is a wager that casual bettors can realistically tackle while investing only nominal sums crafting a good ticket.

Patrons who are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of exotic wagering can always get assistance at Lone Star Park’s Racing Information Centers, or from one of the roving “Star Players” who are ready to answer any questions.

Lone Star Park’s extensive wagering menu will remain the same as last year. This includes Win, Place and Show, Exacta and Quinella wagering on every race; Trifectas and Superfectas on all races with the required minimum number of betting interests (six for the Trifecta and seven for the Superfecta); rolling Pick 3s; and Daily Doubles on the first two and last two races of each program.

2003 Post Times Set (All Times Central)

Weeknights: Post times for weeknight racing (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays): 6:35 p.m. (1st); 7:02 p.m. (2nd); 7:29 p.m. (3rd); 7:56 p.m. (4th); 8:23 p.m. (5th); 8:50 p.m. (6th); 9:17 p.m. (7th); 9:44 p.m. (8th); 10:11 p.m. (9th); 10:38 p.m. (10th – April only)

Weekends and Holidays: Post times for weekend and holiday racing (Saturdays, Sundays, May 27 and July 4): 1:35 p.m. (1st); 2:03 p.m. (2nd); 2:31 p.m. (3rd); 2:59 p.m. (4th); 3:27 p.m. (5th); 3:55 p.m. (6th); 4:23 p.m. (7th); 4:51 p.m. (8th); 5:19 p.m. (9th); 5:47 p.m. (10th)

Lone Stars &Stripes Fireworks Celebration Days (July 3 &July 4): Post times for the special Lone Stars &Stripes Fireworks Celebration programs on Thursday, July 3 and Friday, July 4 (fireworks to follow the last race): 5 p.m. (1st); 5:29 p.m. (2nd); 5:58 p.m. (3rd); 6:27 p.m. (4th); 6:56 p.m. (5th); 7:25 p.m. (6th); 7:54 (7th); 8:23 p.m. (8th); 8:52 p.m. (9th); 9:21 p.m. (10th)

No Wednesday Racing in April

As was the case in 2002, there will be no Wednesday racing for the first four weeks of the Thoroughbred season. Live action until April 30 will be conducted Thursday and Friday nights at 6:35 p.m. and action on Saturday and Sunday will start at 1:35 p.m. Beginning Wednesday, April 30, racing on Wednesday night will be added for the remainder of the 15-week season, which covers 70 dates through July 13.