Darla Ferguson wins 4th Annual Fishing Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Darla Ferguson of Mooresville, Indiana, is an avid horseplayer. She was able to combine her two passions into day Saturday during the 4th Annual Fishing Derby, pulling in a 6.4-pound catfish to win the trophy and the top cash prize of $300.

“I caught that fish within the first 10 minutes of the contest,” said Ferguson (photo, second from left). “We fish a lot. There is a whole group of us that go out and fish. Several of them were here today.”

Keith Taylor (photo, far right) of Mooresville finished second in the contest to win $200. He reeled in a 4.14-pound catfish and was the last big fish of the day to hit the leaderboard.

Kiel Bensheimer (photo, far left) of nearby Boggstown, Ind. finished third with a 3.32-pound catfish, earning prize money of $100.

Both Taylor and Bensheimer attend the races each year but came out especially for the Fishing Derby Saturday.

“This was a lot of fun,” added Taylor. “I saw the fishing contest on the website, so we decided to come out. It was fun to fish in the infield lake.”

A total of 58 fishermen and women headed to the infield lake following the final race of the day. The two-hour session saw lots of fish on lines, including several bass. The event has become a staple on the summer promotional schedule.

The Fishing Derby was originally scheduled for June 29 but was rescheduled due to a rainout.

The 22^nd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing extends through Nov. 14. Racing is held at 2:10 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

One additional All-Quarter Horse racing day is set for 10:45 a.m. Oct. 5.

For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find the track on Social Media @HSIndyRacing.

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