Not even a hot, sunny August afternoon could dampen the enthusiasm of a crowd of more than 2,000 people who enjoyed the first day of horse races at the new Atokad Downs race track Saturday in South Sioux City.
Temperatures rose into the mid 90’s and a southerly breeze offered a bit of a respite, but couldn’t cool down the enthusiasm of those in attendance as they witnessed the first three races at the brand new race track, which will be part of a new gambling entertainment center that will be built here in the next couple of years.
With a few minor exceptions, everything pretty much went according to plan, according to Marshall Bass, chairman of the board of directors of the South Sioux City Racing and Events Center, Inc.
“We were right on track with where we wanted to be from an operational standpoint this morning,” he said. “We did a lot of legwork in the days and weeks leading up to this and we have a load of volunteers out here. Today gave us an idea of what we want to do and what we have to do next year. We had a few small hiccups, but nothing that slowed us down so we’re very happy with how it turned out.”
Pepsi Cola of Siouxland had donated a pallet’s worth of bottled water, but the heat and the huge turnout took care of that by the time the first race had started.
“We had a pallet of water donated to us and ran out by 1 p.m., but we were able to get more and we had a boatload of ice and the food trucks did a really good job,” Bass said.
Many of the workers who were involved in track preparation were able to see how the work is done at Ho-Chunk’s two other tracks in Lincoln and Omaha, which ran races earlier this spring and summer.
“Those guys have been down to those other tracks and got a bird’s-eye view of things worked, and we got a good education there,” Bass said. “The track guys got an understanding of what needs to be done, because every track is different and every location and the weather is different. It comes down to the feel of the track, and they did a standout job.”
The first horses left the starting gate right after 1 p.m. and a good race set the stage for the day’s activities. The four-horse lineup saw Shes Steel Dreamin and Julie Jean do battle until the final turn, when Julie Jean pulled away for a two-length win, followed by For Reel and Lucky Liquor Shot.
In between races, a Best Derby Hat contest was held, followed by a cultural traditional dance performance by performers from the Winnebago tribe, whose colorful outfits complemented the music that they performed to.
The second race was a close battle throughout with Liking It Twisted, Iron Lotus and Global Risk battling it out early. Tapit’s Lady, who trailed at the back of the back, made a late charge but couldn’t quite catch Liking It Twisted, who won by about 2 1/2 lengths.
The third and final race of the day was the only real runaway of the three-race card. Jumpingjaggerflash and Desoto’s War established position during the first quarter-mile, but Desoto’s War took command with about two furlongs to go and pulled away for an easy win, with Big Hearted Factor edging out Run For Matty in the four-horse finale.
Casey Ricketts, executive director of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, watched the races from the makeshift press box at the finish line and told the Dakota County Star that she was very impressed with what she saw from the work that was done Saturday. She made a stop here Saturday before heading to Ogallala for the grand opening of their racetrack on Tuesday.
“We talked with her after the second race, and she said everything seemed to be running smooth,” Bass said later. “I want to say it was flawless, but there were a few things that we were able to remedy pretty quickly. Next year we’ll be cognizant of those things and make sure we keep it family-friendly, and that’s something people in Siouxland are looking for here.”
After the tent stakes are pulled and the temporary facility is cleaned up, work will begin quickly on a permanent structure that will be in place for next year’s racing. Bass told the Star in a story last week that the plans are for a five-day schedule next year with up to 10 races each day.
Work will also begin next year on a 50-acre campus that will house the new Warhorse South Sioux City casino, with a planned late 2027 opening.
“Those discussions will start immediately, and we know there’s a lot of work to do,” Bass said. “We want everybody to know that Atokad is back and it’s going to be bigger and better and stronger next year. We did the bare minimum here and we have expectations we are being held to and we’re going to exceed those expectations.”
