Driver-trainer Don Eash swept both divisions of the Jerry Landess Series Thursday, April 2 at Hoosier Park. Eash won the first division with React Ingoodway followed by a victory with Master Punch in the second division. Both lightly raced three-year-old colts used similar front-end strategy and nearly matched each other’s times, winning in 1:56.3 and 1:56.1, respectively.
React Ingoodway began from Post 5 in his division's nine-horse field. The sophomore son of Dontgetinmyway barreled out for the early lead along with Look To Kilowatt and driver Brad Hanners. After the quarter-mile marker was established in a time of :27.2, React Ingoodway was the horse leading the way, posting middle fractions of :57.4 and 1:29.1.
In the stretch, React Ingoodway opened up slightly on the field. It would take the horses from the back of the pack to chase him down near the finish line. However, Eash had React Ingoodway under the wire first, one length ahead of fast closing Dontgetinskyway and pilot Ricky Macomber, Jr. for second. Blueridge Doc and reinsman Jimmy Shelton made a move from last to first in the lane for third.
“I hope React Ingoodway keeps improving,” said Eash. “He does everything right. I’ve been leaving out of there pretty good with him, but I think he’d be more comfortable sitting in the pocket. There were a lot of green horses behind the gate so I wanted to get out and stay out of trouble.”
In the second division, Master Punch had a lot of attention turned his way after his convincing win in his first-career start, which came in the opening round of the Landess. The Pilgrims Punch colt was quick out of the gate once again and appeared to be en route to a gate-to-wire win through fractions of :28 and :58.3, but that's when CGs Power Punch and pilot Roger Cullipher came into the picture.
CGs Power Punch rolled to the lead at the halfway point and led the race around the final turn. In the stretch, Master Punch was back out and looked like he had his work cut out for him. However, all it took was a slight urging from Eash and he retook control of the race, pacing home to a four-length win over In Theory and driver Jason Dillander. Genesis See Yah and partner Mark O’Mara moved in for third.
“Last week, I was just focused on getting this horse (Master Punch) some race experience,” said Eash. “But tonight, he was one of the favourites and I didn’t want to get all muddled up in the start. I let him roll on out of there. He gets pretty fiery on the track, and he’s still a little inexperienced and scared. He’s already settled down from last week. Last week, the whole time we were going down the backstretch, he had his head turned looking in at the pond. He drove straight tonight.”
Master Punch is now two for two in his brief career. Unraced in his freshman campaign, he has now earned $8,000 in career earnings, while React Ingoodway, who was lightly raced last year, has a little more than $8,000 in earnings. The two colts trained together all winter and according to Eash, have both always shown promise.
“These two horses have been training together all winter and they would go back and forth as to which one would beat the other one,” said Eash. “React Ingoodway is slick gaited and was handier early on. But earlier this spring, the bigger colt (Master Punch) started coming on stronger.”
Both Master Punch and React Ingoodway were purchased from the Indiana yearling sales. Master Punch is a full brother to Jessies Trigger, one of the staples in Eash’s barn in the late 1990s. React Ingoodway is a half-brother to a horse Eash trained last year, Johnnys Reactor, which drew his attention to him.
(Hoosier Downs)