Natural Herbie continued his winning ways in the featured event, the fourth and final round of the $30,000 Indiana Gold Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, August 30.
Notching his seventh win of the season and third stakes win from four preliminary legs, the reigning freshman Indiana Sire Stakes champion turned in a gutsy performance to win in 1:55.3 for owner, trainer and driver Verlin Yoder.
Leaving from post three in the 11-horse field, Natural Herbie was handed no favours from the onset and was parked through the first quarter clocking while the battle for early position ensued. Ray Hall and Pete Wrenn won the first battle and led the field through early fractions of :28.1 and :57.2.
Unable to find a position along the rail, Natural Herbie pressed on for the lead and was applying pressure to the outside of the top pair down the backside with Super Rock and Charlie Conrad hot on their heels second over. Ray Hall continued to call the shots through the three-quarter clocking in 1:26.1 as the rest of the field closed in.
Natural Herbie inherited the lead after a costly break by Ray Hall mid-way through the stretch and was able to hold off a late charge from Red Hot Herbie and Brandon Bates to score the win by a head. Red Hot Herbie used a late-closing kick to finish second while Super Rock battled gamely to round out the trifecta.
As the heavy betting favourite, Natural Herbie returned $3.40 to his backers at the window.
After a sensational two-year-old campaign, Natural Herbie has posted an even better sophomore season. Sired by Here Comes Herbie, the black gelding has now won seven of 11 seasonal starts while bankrolling over $150,000 for Yoder. Sporting a career bankroll of over $290,000, Natural Herbie has hit the board in 15 of 21 lifetime outings.
Natural Herbie will head the field of entrants in the $200,000 Indiana Gold Sire Stakes final for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters slated for September 11 at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
Indiana Gold Sire Stakes action continues at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, August 31 with a pair of $30,000 divisions for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters. On Saturday, August 31, Hoosier Park will also host The Beach Boys live in concert to culminate the Summer Concert Music Series at the Anderson, Indiana track.
(Hoosier Park)