Jazzi Jo and Sam Widger made it two-for-two in Indiana Sires Stakes action Friday, August 12 at Indiana Downs

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The sophomore filly trotter held off favoured ABC Easter by half a length to win the night’s first $40,000 division in 1:58. Lakeview Fest, tabbed the favourite, claimed the second split with a lifetime best 1:58.1 effort.

Leaving from the rail to settle in third behind B L Kidswillbekids and Shes All Guts, Jazzi Jo and Widger bided their time through a :58.3 half. The duo were soon underway, advancing first over to second as the field reached three-quarters (1:28). Turning for home, the Keystone Savage filly led by a length and closed out the mile trotting home in :29.3. Skyway Priss followed ABC Easter across the wire in third.

Twice a winner this season, Jazzi Jo has earned $120,956 for Byron Hooley’s Summit Pacing Acres LLC. Bred by Larry and Kim Owen, Hooley trains the trotter.

Starting from the outside in Post 8, trainer Dan Shetler and Lakeview Fest patiently sat in the pocket as Bar Nancy and Ricky Macomber Jr. set the fractions. A head back in second at the top of the stretch, the ABC Garland filly trotted home in :29 to win the second $40,000 division. Earls Miss Muffit, driven by Elliott Deaton, finished a length back in second as Bar Nancy rounded out the trifecta.

First or second in each of her eight seasonal starts, including five wins, Lakeview Fest has amassed $210,900 in 2011. The sophomore was bred and is owned by Lester Raber.

Indiana Downs will play host to a Dash and Distance Challenge Saturday, August 13, with seven of the 13 races on the program contested at a distance other than one mile. The card will also feature second round Indiana Sires Stakes action for sophomore pacing colts. A trio of $40,000 divisions is slated.

The shortest dash programmed is a 1/8 mile sprint for pacers. The Indiana Downs Sprint Challenge, the night’s fourth race, carries a purse of $8,000, and has attracted a field of nine. On the trotting side, a group of seven will dash for the cash in the $8,000 Sprint Challenge. The 3/16 mile sprint is carded as the first race on the program. Indiana Downs will offer a pair of 5/8 mile pacing events. Each race carries an $8,000 purse, with nine-horse fields set to line up behind the starting gate.

Two distance events are scheduled for pacers, with one contest greater than one mile carded for trotters. A group of 10 pacers will go to the post in a 1-1/8 miles pace. A 1-3/16 miles pace has also garnered 10 entries. Each event offers an $8,000 purse. A field of six trotters will test their endurance in a 1-5/8 miles trot. Carded as the third race on the program, the distance event features a $15,000 purse.

Flight Elal looks to extend his winning streak in Indiana Sires Stakes competition. The Panspacificflight colt, a winner in six of seven seasonal starts, can win his third straight in the night’s 12th race. Driven by Peter Wrenn for trainer Jim Dailey, the gelding starts from Post 7 in the nine-horse field. The other two $40,000 divisions consist of eight and nine-horse fields respectively.

(Indiana Sires Stakes)