Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to eight divisions of Indiana Sires Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts on Friday evening, and the 2014 crop of freshman colts opened their series in impressive fashion.
Kelly D and Trace Tetrick kicked off the evening as they scored their second consecutive victory this year in 1:53.2 in the opening round of the stakes action. The 1:53.2 score bested his career mark from last week by nearly two seconds and lowered the national season’s record for two-year old pacers. The previous mark of 1:53.3 was established just one night earlier at Hoosier Park by Tyler Smith and Cant Touch Her in Indiana Sires Stakes action for two-year-old pacing fillies.
Using the same front-stepping tactics from the previous week, Kelly D left alertly from post three and was able to dictate early fractions of :26.4 and :55.4. As the field reached the third station, Franzo and Tyler Smith pressed the leader from the outer flow while a host of others began to close in from behind. Tetrick asked the son of Panspacificflight for more and Kelly D found another gear, pacing on to the wire to finish three lengths to the good. Rockin Ron closed nicely to finish second, while Franzo held on for third in the $20,000 affair.
As the heavy betting favourite, Kelly D returned $3.20. Trained by Tom Simmons, Kelly D has now won both of his starts at two for owner, breeder Larry Breed.
Just a few races later, Harfo Hanover began his career impressively using the same front-stepping tactics to score in 1:53 in his split of the stakes action and lowered the national season’s record for two-year-old pacers once more. Driven by Tyler Smith, Harfo Hanover dictated fractions of :28, :57.2, and 1:26.1 before pacing on to the wire to win by seven lengths.
As the public’s second choice, Harfo Hanover returned $8.80 for the win. Trained by Jeff Cullipher, the son of Always A Virgin-Harlow Hall made his career debut a winning one for owners Randall Bendis, William Varney, Reed Broadway.
In the very next split of the two-year-old pacing colt action, Camturo Rock used a late kick to win impressively from off-the-pace in 1:53. The son of Rockin Image was able to track down Ima Full Time Job and Sam Widger late in the lane to score his first win of the season in his career debut.
Slightly dismissed at the betting windows at 8-1, Camturo Rock returned $19.20 for the victory. Trained by Dirk Simpson, Camturo Rock is owned by Desyllas Racing, William Beck, and Carol Rieken.
Each of the winners from the eight Indiana Sires Stakes eliminations earned a spot in the first of five $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings slated for July 5 at Hoosier Park.
(Hoosier Park)