Two-year-old pacing colts and geldings took center stage at Harrah’s Hoosier Park in their first leg of Indiana Sire Stakes on Friday, July 12. The 14-race card featured divisions for the freshmen, with This JK Rocks and Hopeyaliketheshow each picking up the victories.

Sent off as the 8-5 second choice in the $92,466 first division, This JK Rocks (pictured above) teamed up with driver Joey Putnam in the field scratched down to seven. Putnam fired This JK Rocks to the front from the gate, quickly clearing the field before the first turn from post seven to lead at the quarter in :27.4.

Even-money favourite Special Pete (LeWayne Miller) was unable to find a seat on the first turn before pushing to the lead on the backstretch. Special Pete was quickly covered up just prior to the :55.4 half by Checking Out (Trace Tetrick) as This JK Rocks watched from third.

Checking Out brought the field to three-quarters in 1:25.1 with Special Pete and This JK Rocks each beginning to tip out. Turning for home, Special Pete moved from second to quickly take command with This JK Rocks beginning to roll to his outside. Surging home late in :26.1, This JK Rocks was able to nail a stubborn Special Pete by a neck on the wire in 1:52. Luxury Virgin (James Yoder) rallied for third.

The maiden-breaking victory came in the second career start for This JK Rocks, who is trained by Erv Miller and owned by Engel Stable of Il Llc, Louis Willinger and Doug Overhiser. Bred by Victory Hill Farm, This JK Rocks is a gelded son of JK Endofanera out of the Rockin Image mare, This Peach Rocks. He paid $5.40 to win.

In the $93,151 second division, Hopeyaliketheshow put on a speed show with a front-end victory. Driver Devon Tharps and Hopeyaliketheshow pushed the gate away from post five, quickly grabbing a two-length lead over pocket-sitting Avanti (Brandon Bates) at the quarter in :28.2.

Hopeyaliketheshow had things his way to the half in :58.4 while 4-5 favourite Somemore Soaring (Trace Tetrick) moved first-over into third. Hopeyaliketheshow countered on the final turn as Somemore Soaring ratcheted up the pressure to his outside, reaching three-quarters within a half-length of the leader in 1:26.4.

Hopeyaliketheshow responded impressively in the stretch, rebuffing the challenge of Somemore Soaring to open up by four lengths midway down the lane. Powering home in :26.2 with the earplugs still in, Hopeyaliketheshow crossed the wire 1-1/2 lengths clear to stop the timer in 1:53.1. Avanti finished second, with Somemore Soaring third.

The victory was the first in the third career start for Hopeyaliketheshow, who is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable Llc, Weaver Bruscemi Llc, Beast Llc and Knox Services Inc. Hopeyaliketheshow is a son of JK Endofanera out of the Well Said mare, Dont Forget, and was bred by Randy, Tyler and Zane Wilt. Hopeyaliketheshow paid $7.80 to win.

Earlier on the card, nine-year-old veteran General Dolan and driver Trace Tetrick took the $28,767 Open 1/Open 2 Pace in front-end fashion, fending off a late challenge by Low Rider (Marvin Luna) in a lifetime best 1:48.4. Trained by Tyler George, the gelded son of Rockin Image-Townes Party Girl is now a 46-time career winner and has banked $634,561 lifetime for owners and breeders John and Robert Esposito.

The week of racing concludes on Saturday, July 13 at Hoosier Park, with a 12-race card set to get underway with a first post of 7 p.m. The Saturday card will feature a lone $95,500 USD division of leg four of Indiana Sire Stakes for the sophomore pacing fillies in the 10th race. On the wagering side, there will be an $8,000 guaranteed Early Pick 5 (Races 1-5) with a carryover of $1,532.88 to go along with a $13,976.41 carryover in the Jackpot Pick 6 (Races 7-12).

(With files from Hoosier Park)