Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to the opening round of Indiana Sires Stakes action for the 2020 season on Wednesday (July 1) as the evening’s 14-race card featured two $33,000 divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies. Using similar gate-to-wire tactics, divisional winners Hotel Whiskey and May Baby kept their individual winning streaks alive to deliver in impressive fashion in their respective divisions.

Hotel Whiskey and driver John DeLong in the bike went right to work as soon as the wings of the gate folded. After reaching the front through the opening panel in :27.4, Hotel Whiskey was able to slow the tempo just a touch through middle fractions of :57.3 and 1:26.4 before out-sprinting her rivals turning for home.

Hotel Whiskey used a :27.4 closing kick to turn away the pocket-sitting Rjz First Lady (LeWayne Miller) in 1:54.3. Bluebird Ladyluck (Dan Shetler) found late racing room to round out the trifecta. Hotel Whiskey returned $7.80 as the third betting choice.

Trained and bred by Cassidy Whitton, Hotel Whiskey established a new lifetime best with the win for trainer and breeder Cassidy Whitton. After sweeping a late closing series at Harrah’s Hoosier Park last week, the sophomore daughter of Bluto and LW Jaynie remains unbeaten at three in three seasonal starts and has now earned $37,049.

In the second division, May Baby looked every bit the part of a 1-5 favourite as she captured her split of the stakes action to maintain her perfect two-for-two sophomore record. With trainer James Yoder in the bike, May Baby utilized a gate-to-wire effort to finish four lengths in front of her competition in 1:52.4.

May Baby left alertly to grab command through the opening panel in :27.4. J S Miss Carly (Alex Udell) benefitted from a pocket trip while the rest of the field followed in straight alignment down the backside. May Baby clicked off fractions of :57 and 1:25.1 before she began to distance herself from the rest of the field.

Turning for home, May Baby was on top with a five-length lead. Rock Swan (Trace Tetrick) made a valiant stretch run but was forced to settle for second, while Deswanslittlelorie (Michael Oosting) rallied late for third. As the heavy favourite, May Baby returned $2.60.

With the win, May Baby pushed her lifetime bankroll to $258,240 and has now won eight of 12 of her lifetime outings. The daughter of Guccio and Free Wheeling is owned by Cheyenne Yoder and was bred by Oakwood Farms.

Indiana Sires Stakes action will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Thursday (July 2) with two divisions for the three-year-old colts and geldings. The evening’s 14-race card will also feature a $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 sequence in races 3-6 and a $10,000 guaranteed Hoosier High-5 in race 14.

(Harrah's Hoosier Park)