FARGO — The return of hazy skies over Fargo-Moorhead due to ongoing Canadian wildfires didn’t appear to hinder opening day at the North Dakota Horse Park.

Despite Air Quality Index levels hovering just under the “very unhealthy” level of 200, an estimated 1,500 fans ventured out to the six-furlong track in north Fargo on Saturday to ring in the park’s 22nd year of racing.

It was also the first of eight race days at the nonprofit track this season, with two dates per weekend slated through Sunday, Aug. 3.

“This is our second year of (a four-week season) and we plan to continue to expand,” said Hugh Drexler, general manager of the Horse Park. “And we plan to continue to expand as long as we’re financially able to.

“So far, the three or four years I’ve been here, we do a little bit more every year. We improve our facility and our equipment and as long as people keep coming back, we’re going to keep doing the same.”

Saturday’s opener featured seven different races with a combined $45,250 in purse money up for grabs. Events featured thoroughbred and quarter horse allowance races, quarter horse maiden races, a juvenile sprint and two futurity trials.

The first 250 paid fans through the gates Saturday received a free Horse Park T-shirt, the first of many promotions the track will run over the next few weeks.

Sunday, July 13, is Family Day, which will feature kids foot racing, a petting zoo, bouncy houses, face painting, balloon animals and more. Other promos lined up for the season include Casino Night on Friday, July 18, corgi races on Saturday, July 19, Mystery Voucher Day on Friday, July 25, Horses and Heroes Day on Saturday, July 26, Derby Day on Saturday, Aug. 2 and Dollar Day on Sunday, Aug. 3.

Since taking over as GM of the Horse Park in 2022, Drexler has made it a priority of his to make a day at the track as fun and family-friendly as possible. Racing aside, fans were treated Saturday to live music on a stage beside the grandstand, food trucks, a merchandise booth, arcade games for children and more.

“You don’t have to be a gambler to come out here and have fun,” Drexler said. “We have so many more things for you to do.”

Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum

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The track pulled in roughly $307,600 in handle — or money bet on horse racing over the eight-day season — in 2024 while paying out more than $439,600 in purses. That purse total was up from roughly $377,000 the year prior.

The Horse Park previously held three weekends of racing in 2022 and 2023 before moving to four weekends last year. The number of allowable race days in a season

is granted by the North Dakota Horse Racing Commission

, which regulates the Horse Park and Chippewa Downs in Belcourt.

Drexler said 100 horses were expected to run opening weekend, with 40 in the paddock on Saturday and 60 expected for Sunday.

“Those are probably record numbers for us here,” Drexler said.

Jockey count is also up.

“Usually we’re struggling for riders, but they kind of see that our purses are rising every year,” Drexler said. “We’ve got more races, quality horses and there’s enough horses for all of the jockeys to come up here and make a living.

“This year, I think we’ve got 10 or 11 riders which normally, we have six or eight. So we’re thankful for that.”

Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum

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With a sudden spike in AQI levels this weekend, Drexler said he and other track officials closely monitor weather conditions to ensure safety of the horses, jockeys and spectators.

“We monitor that,” Drexler said. “We watch the Weather Channel and there’s several different avenues that we watch just to make sure we’re in those ranges. We have kind of an emergency guideline when it comes to rain, humidity, heat and stuff like that.”

Despite the haze, Drexler deemed Saturday’s opener a success.

“Amazing,” Drexler said. “Exciting races, close finishes, everybody is having a good time and it seems like the weather is cooperating. I know it’s a little smokey, but we’re still well within our levels of being safe for horse racing.

“It’s actually a little busier than I expected. I figured the weather is finally starting to get good and people are going out to the lakes, but I’m happy with the way things are turning out. The racing is good, the crowd looks great and everybody is having fun.”

For a full season schedule, ticket information and promotional days, visit the North Dakota Horse Park website at

HRND.org

.

North Dakota Horse Park Results
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Track: Fast · Surface: Dirt · Weather: Hazy, 72–76 degrees
Jockey in parentheses

Race 1 – Allowance (Thoroughbred)
Distance: 5½ Furlongs
Winner: Bacliff (Connie McKenzie) – $6.80 $2.60 $2.60
2nd: Our Clover Gal (Nathan Haar) – $5.40 $3.60
3rd: Loneshilohspecial (Larren Delorme) – $3.40
Also ran: Lady Creative, Chama, Inagoodway
Exacta (6–1): $20.70
Trifecta (6–1–4): $41.75
Superfecta (6–1–4–2): $5.04

Race 2 – Trial (Quarter Horse, 2YO)
Distance: 350 Yards
Winner: Coronas Famous Chick (Larren Delorme) – $6.60 $2.80 $2.20
2nd: Tokio Rose (Dakota Wood) – $2.40 $2.20
3rd: Hiclass Famous One (Brian Beetem) – $2.20
Also ran: Bodies Blow Out
Exacta (4–1): $4.60
Trifecta (4–1–3): $6.25
Daily Double (6–4): $17.00

Race 3 – Trial (Quarter Horse, 2YO)
Distance: 350 Yards
Winner: Travelin Princess (Larren Delorme) – $3.20 $2.60 $2.40
2nd: Love Eye See (Brian Beetem) – $2.80 $2.60
3rd: Noras Nightmare (Connie McKenzie) – $3.00
Also ran: Tarlas Hot Dasher, Travelin Captain
Exacta (1–5): $2.80
Trifecta (1–5–2): $23.70
Superfecta (1–5–2–3): $2.75
Pick 3 (6–4–1): $45.00

Race 4 – Maiden (Quarter Horse)
Distance: 300 Yards
Winner: So Dom Famous (Larren Delorme) – $7.40 $4.00 $2.80
2nd: One Sweet Ferarri (Anselmo Padilla) – $4.80 $3.00
3rd: Zoeys Star Sparkles (Connie McKenzie) – $2.80
Also ran: Flyhighwithacorona, Tru Myth, Rebs Royal Volcom
Exacta (1–4): $25.40
Trifecta (1–4–5): $18.90
Superfecta (1–4–5–6): $157.88

Race 5 – Allowance (Thoroughbred, ND-Breds)
Distance: 6 Furlongs
Winner: Bee a Bali (Nathan Haar) – $3.40 $3.80 $2.60
2nd: Lovers Whisper (Ricardo Martinez) – $3.20 $2.80
3rd: Tricky Kid (Dakota Wood) – $3.20
Also ran: Liam’s Starry Nite, Phenomenaljoe
Exacta (3–2): $4.00
Trifecta (3–2–1): $3.65
Superfecta (3–2–1–4): $2.42
Pick 3 (1–1–3): $6.10
Pick 5 (6–4–1–1–3): $83.30

Race 6 – Allowance (Quarter Horse, 2YO)
Distance: 300 Yards
Winner: R Thirtyeightspecial (Ricardo Martinez) – $16.80 $5.80 $3.60
2nd: Down South Hero (Dakota Wood) – $3.80 $3.40
3rd: Jess Air Em (Nathan Haar) – $3.00
Also ran: Flo Sixes Ridin, Fire in D Sky, Kcross Captain, Whirlaway Dream, Royal Perfect Six
Exacta (1–3): $24.00
Trifecta (1–3–5): $16.65
Superfecta (1–3–5–ALL): $8.16

Race 7 – Race No. 7 results were not immediately available at the time of publication

Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum

Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum

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