R Star Stallions

06/25/2025

Big congratulations to all the connections of PRAYER'S BEAUTY, shown here as a yearling. She's all grown up now and just broke her maiden on June 24 by three lengths at Horseshoe Indianapolis. She's now earned $32,725 in just three starts. Congrats to trainer Tim Eggleston, owners Willowbrook Stables Ltd. and Wendy Curry, and breeder Marc Farrer. She definitely looks like a filly to watch in the future!

The Farrerm proudly presents, Prayer’s Beauty out of Huntington’s Beauty and sired by Indiana racing champion, Prayer for Relief! R Star Stallions

05/21/2025

In yesterday's second race at Horseshoe Indianapolis, runners by PRAYER FOR RELIEF (pictured) ran first and third! SWEET SAINT, trained by Aaron West for his grandparents Lois and Wayne West, remained undefeated with a three-quarter length win. Bred in Indiana by Martha Johnson and Bruce Murphy and a graduate of the ITOBA Fall Mixed Sale, Sweet Saint has now earned $27,900 in her two wins. SHIELDMEWITHPRAYER ran third in the race and went over $40,000 in earnings for owner Marion Gorham and trainer Robert Gorham. Congrats to all!

05/15/2025

Excited to see that CITY PRAYERS, by PRAYER FOR RELIEF (pictured), ran a good third in yesterday's $150,000 Swifty Sired Fillies Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The filly, who was bred by Rhonda Day and Sue Belden, now has a record of 7-1-2-1 and has banked $52,400 for owner Haran Thoroughbreds LLC and trainer John Haran. Looking forward to seeing what's next for this talented 3-year-old!

04/10/2025

The 2025 live racing season at Horseshoe Indianapolis is finally here! Below is the news release from the track with all the details about the first day of the meet:

The 23rd season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing gets underway Tuesday, April 15 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. First post for the nine race card is 2:10PM.

Two premier races are featured on the opening day program, paying tribute to two former Thoroughbred participants. The Brian Elmore Overnight Handicap and the $55,000 Merrill C. Roberts Overnight Handicap are set as races seven and eight on the card. Several Indiana standouts from 2024 are included in both races, including Molly’s Town from post two in the Elmore Handicap.

Molly’s Town from the Genaro Garcia Stable makes his four-year-old debut in the race. The Mo Town gelding, also owned by Garcia’s Southwest Racing Stable, has six wins over Indiana’s racetrack and earnings of more than $300,000. The multiple stakes winning Indiana bred is reunited with Emmanuel Esquivel for the five and one-half furlong sprint.

Mr Chaos, also a multiple stakes winning gelding, makes his 2025 debut from post seven. Orlando Mojica is set to ride the Turbo Compressor gelding for owners Judy Dorris and Ken Sentel and trainer Bob Dobbs. Mr Chaos comes into his six-year-old season with nine wins and more than $623,000 in earnings.

Best Cupcake and Gavin Ashton return to Indiana for the Roberts Handicap. The stakes winning four-year-old filly from the Mike Lauer barn had one previous start this year at Colonial Downs to prep for her Indiana debut. By Oscar Performance, Best Cupcake begins from post four.

Louder Than Words returns to Indiana off a few starts at Tampa Bay Downs, the winter home for the Anthony Granitz Stable. The six-year-old daughter of Mr Speaker is a multiple stakes winner in Indiana and will start from post eight. Marcelino Pedroza Jr., three-time Indiana leading jockey, will guide the mare owned by Michael Wern, Bob Dhondt, and Granitz.

Another horse of note on the program is Cupid’s Runaway. The five-year-old Cupid gelding from the Randy Klopp barn won seven of eight starts last year and was named 2024 Horse of the Year. He completed his racing season in 2024 on a five-race win streak for Reese Ranch. Cupid’s Runaway is slated to start from post four in the afternoon’s second race with new arrival Luis Contreras aboard.

One Quarter Horse race will close out the season opener featuring 10 Indiana bred maidens running at a distance of 250 yards.

The season opener will feature a magnetic calendar giveaway to racing guests beginning at 1 p.m. while supplies last. Under the 2025 theme “Feel the Thunder” many contests and special events are set for the 123-day meet.

Live racing will be on an abbreviated schedule through April. Racing is set for Saturday, May 3 running in conjunction with the racing program from Churchill Downs for the Derby Celebration. Racing will then feature its Monday through Thursday weekly schedule with first post at 2:10 p.m. Select Saturday racing programs begin in June.

01/16/2025

We are so thankful to be a part of this great industry!

Horse racing doesn't just happen at the track - it begins on Indiana's farms. From breeding to feed production, this industry creates jobs, sustains families, and fuels investments in all 92 counties with over $2 BILLION in annual economic impact!

01/15/2025

Breeding season is nearly here, and R Star Stallions is excited to introduce MGSW millionaire MADEFROMLUCKY! He is joining our diverse roster that includes DISCREET LOVER, PRAYER FOR RELIEF, SAHARA SKY and WHAT NOW. Go to www.rstarstallions.com for more information.

12/11/2024

R Star Stallions is excited to announce the arrival of a significant addition to its stallion roster with Madefromlucky, a proven sire who was a multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire on the track.

Madefromlucky is a son of top North and South American sire Lookin at Lucky, who was a two-time champion and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner. Much like his sire, Madefromlucky was an exceptional 3-year-old with wins in the West Virginia Derby (G2) and Peter Pan Stakes (G2) and a second-place effort in the Rebel Stakes (G2) behind eventual Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. He carried his success and talent through his 5-year-old season, and he retired sound after consecutive stakes victories, including a 12 ¼-length romp in the 1 ½-mile Greenwood Cup Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing and a score in the listed Temperance Hill Invitational Stakes going 1 5/8 miles at Belmont Park. Madefromlucky earned an Equibase E Speed Figure of 100 or higher 14 times in his career, topped by a 122 rating in the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park. All told, he earned $1,351,500.

Madefromlucky’s dam, Home from Oz, is a full sister to Tapit, one of the world’s all-time leading stallions with more than $213 million in progeny earnings. World-class sire Rubiano is also close-up in Madefromlucky’s pedigree as a half brother to his stakes-winning second dam, Tap Your Heels.

“We think Madefromlucky is a perfect fit for the Indiana breeding program,” said Leigh Ann Hopper, co-owner of R Star Stallions with her husband, Kerry. “His incredible stamina will be an asset because there are so many two-turn overnight and stakes races for Indiana-bred/sired horses, and he’s also proven that he can produce winning 2-year-olds and sprinters. His combination of pedigree, on-track performance and sire record is hard to match.”

As a stallion, Madefromlucky brings in a successful record with progeny earnings in excess of $3.5 million. He’s in the midst of his best year yet as a stallion with earnings of $1.16 million in 2024 through December 10, which would rank him at #2 among stallions located in Indiana. He has sired stakes winners on both turf and dirt.

Madefromlucky’s fee for the 2025 breeding season will be $1,500 live foal with considerations for stakes-producing or stakes-winning mares.

He will join the R Star Stallions roster that includes Discreet Lover, Prayer for Relief, Sahara Sky and What Now.

Photos by Louise Reinagel, Barbara Livingston and Coady Media

11/19/2024

Congrats to everyone involved with another very successful meet at Horseshoe Indianapolis. We can't wait for the 2025 meet to start, but in the meantime we'll be busy with breeding and foaling season!

Below is more information about the record-breaking 2024 meet:

Horseshoe Indianapolis completed its 22nd season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing with record numbers. A total of 124 days were held, with six dedicated to all Quarter Horse racing. Total domestic handle exceeded $282 million compared to $279 million in 2023, which was also a record year.

“Once again, we are very proud of our racing program this season and it is the result of a strong team effort between our staff, horsemen, and the Indiana Horse Racing Commission,” noted Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “Everyone contributed to our success this season, which is clearly shown in our wagering results. We genuinely appreciate the support of all fans across the world in watching and wagering on our races. It’s very gratifying to see such positive results for the hard work we all put in throughout the season.”

Final wagering tallies will be available later in the year. The current tally of $282 million does not include international numbers will most likely push the total into the range of $320 million mark. Average total handle per race was $236,886, showing a 1.60 increase over 2023.

A total of 1,191 races were conducted. Of that tally, 971 Thoroughbred races were held in 2024 compared to 983 in 2023. Average number of starters per race was 7.9, which is higher than the national trend. Ten less races were held on the turf in 2024 compared to 2023, showing the effect weather played on several racing days throughout the year.

The highlight of the year was held Saturday, July 5 for the 30th running of the Grade 3 Indiana Derby and Grade 3 Indiana Oaks. More than $8.1 million was wagered on the day, establishing a new track record for a single card handle in Indiana history. In all, 13 days during the year topped $3 million in handle.

“Indiana Derby Day continues to grow each year and has definitely captured the attention of the racing world the first Saturday in July,” noted Halstrom. “We have a tremendous crowd on track in addition to the multitude of locations taking our racing signal throughout the world. Our staff and horsemen put on a great show that day.”

Randy Klopp earned his third title in the past four years in the Leading Trainer category while Alberto Burgos won his first Leading Jockey title. John Haran was awarded top owner of the meet. Oscar Villarreal was the top apprentice rider to secure the 10th annual Juan Saez Leading Apprentice title. The top horse of the meet was Cupid’s Runaway, winner in seven of his eight starts through the course of the meet. The Cupid gelding was ridden by Burgos for Klopp and owner Reese Ranch.

The 22nd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing concluded Thursday, Nov. 14. Racing returns for the 23rd season Tuesday, April 15. For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find the track on Social Media .

Photo by Coady Media

11/13/2024

Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino has been a big supporter not only of racing and breeding in Indiana, but also of the local community. It's great to see the track and the jockey colony giving back, and the annual toy drive is just one example. Here's the press release with more info about it:

Each year, the jockeys at Horseshoe Indianapolis come together for a cause with special meaning. Many of them grew up in households where gifts were scarce during the holidays. They are now enjoying successful careers in horse racing, so they want to ensure the kids of the local Court Appointed State Advocates (CASA) of Shelby County have presents to open each Christmas. This year, more than 100 toys were collected for the cause by the jockeys, which is a new record number of items headed to children.

“This is really important to all of us to bring in toys for these kids,” said DeShawn Parker, who is now 19th on the list of all-time leading jockeys in Thoroughbred history with more than 6,100 career trips to the winner’s circle. “We see kids come to the track and always try to take time to talk to them, give them our goggles. We want to make sure all kids in this area have a great Christmas each year.”

Parker, along with Emmanuel Esquivel and Alberto Burgos, brought in the biggest loads of toys, ranging in ages from babies to pre-teens. A good mixture of items geared toward girls and boys were included in the six oversized bags headed to CASA.

“This drive is fun for us because we know we are putting smiles on the faces of many kids for Christmas,” added Burgos, who is in contention for his first leading jockey title this year at Horseshoe Indianapolis. “We are proud to be able to help out, and we participate as a group for this.”

Jockeys included in the presentation of toys included Walter Rodriguez, Alberto Burgos, Sammy Bermudez, DeShawn Parker, Oscar Villareal, Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Angel Serpa, Fernando De La Cruz, Santo Sanjur, Arcelio Flaco, Joe Ramos, Eddie Perez, and Evin Roman. Several others donated to the cause but were not available for the presentation with Rachel McLaughlin, racing broadcast production manager, during the Tuesday racing program at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Photo by Coady Media

11/12/2024

Indiana-bred/sired BLUEGRASS PRAYER, a son of PRAYER FOR RELIEF (pictured), picked up his fourth career win today at Horseshoe Indianapolis and pushed his earnings past $133,000. Congratulations to breeder/owner Cathi Jones, trainer Tim Eggleston and jockey Joseph Ramos!

11/07/2024

On Wednesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis, there are a total of five runners sired by CSABA and PRAYER FOR RELIEF set to run. Wishing the best of luck to all the connections as we approach the end of the meet, and a big thank you to all the breeders who have supported our stallions!