The 45-year-old Overturf took 18 horses with him to the Eastern Montana Fairgrounds for four days of racing, which also includes May 15, 21 and 22.
He hopes to get about half of his quarter horses and thoroughbreds into races, and has recently been putting all of his horses through spring workouts at MetraPark’s Yellowstone Downs in Billings.
“I’m ready,” Overturf said. “I’ve been training since November.”
While Saturday’s Kentucky Derby is generating its usual headlines and excitement over horse racing, the starting gates in Miles City can’t open quickly enough after another tumultuous offseason for the sport in Montana.
After Miles City, the only other confirmed live racing in the state this year is set to begin on Aug. 27 in Billings.
Yellowstone Downs is scheduled to have its usual eight days of racing over four weekends: Aug. 27-28, Sept. 3-4 or 4-5, 10-11 and 17-18.
“I expect them to put on very good meets,” said Ryan Sherman, executive director of the Montana Board of Horse Racing.
The 12 days of live racing in the state is about half of last year’s total — and it could be the fewest race dates in 100 years.
There will be no racing in Great Falls and Missoula this summer, and Kalispell is expected to join them. Those three tracks combined for 10 race days in 2010.
