Indiana Sires Stakes Kicks Off
The opening round of Indiana Sires Stakes action highlighted the Tuesday, May 23rd program at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and featured three divisions of $20,000 Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies. Each filly was aiming to earn a spot in the first of five $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals slated for May 30 at Hoosier Park.
Indiana’s two-year-old trotting filly of the year, Satin Dancer, looked every the bit the part of a 1-9 favourite as she turned a pocket trip into a two-and-a-half length victory, scoring in 1:56. Driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Satin Dancer protected her rail position but JS Jesses Girl and Sam Widger were on a mission to the front. JS Jesses Girl dictated fractions of :27.3, :57.4, and 1:27.4 before Satin Dancer tipped from the pocket late in the late to cruise home in front.
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Satin Dancer delivers as the heavy betting favorite in her split of the stakes action at Hoosier Park
Trained by Byron Hooley, Satin Dancer has now won 11 of 19 lifetime starts and sports a career bankroll of $283,558. The daughter of Big Stick Lindy-Shaken Not Stirred captured the second win from three seasonal outings of her sophomore campaign for owner, Summit Pacing Acres LLC.
The fastest division of the night belonged to Swan Defined and LeWayne Miller who recorded their third consecutive Hoosier Park win, tonight in 1:55. The victory established a new lifetime best mark for the daughter of Swan For All-Armbro Definition.
Swan Defined also benefitted from a pocket seat while Wheels A Turning and Joe Putnam carved out splits of :29, :58.3 and 1:27.1. As the field turned for home, Swan Defined found another gear, utilizing a :27.2 final quarter to win by five and three-quarter lengths.
Swan Defined improved her lifetime record to six wins from ten lifetime starts while bankrolling $41,905 in lifetime purse earnings. Owned by Last Chance Racing Stable and Clifford Slusher, Swan Defined has now won three of four 2017 starts.
The biggest upset of the night was found in the final split of the stakes action as Shawnee Beauty and Brandon Bates found the winner’s circle at odds of 13-1. Scoring her maiden-breaking win amongst stakes company, Shawnee Beauty converted a pocket trip into a 1:56 victory, scoring by nearly two lengths.
Bates sent Shawnee Beauty away from the gate firing to grab a seat behind the pace-setting, Ajessia and Doug Rideout. Ajessia relaxed on the front through fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27 while the field remained in single file order. Bates tipped Shawnee Beauty from the pocket late in the lane and she dug in gamely to get the win.
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Shawnee Beauty and Brandon Bates pull the 13-1 upset to take the final division of the stakes action for three-year-old trotting fillies at Hoosier Park.
“She is a very good-gaited, very willing filly,” Bates noted after the victory. “She was lightly-raced last year and had a tendency to get hot so we’ve been teaching her every start. She continues to mature and really enjoys her job; I don’t think we’ve seen the best from her yet.”
Trained by Henry Lunsford, the three-year-old daughter of Valley Speed-Double Yankee recorded her first victory from 13 lifetime outings. Shawnee Beauty has now earned $24,120 for her owner, Judith Lunsford.
Indiana Sires Stakes action continues at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday, May 24 with three divisions of the $20,000 Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings. With a daily post time of 6:30 p.m., live harness racing at Hoosier Park will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through November 17.
(with files from Hoosier)