Rookie Pacers Square Off In Indiana Sire Stakes
Indiana Sire Stakes continued on Wednesday, July 31 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with round two for the two-year-old pacers. Two divisions of the second leg for both the colts and fillies highlighted the 14-race card.
The freshman pacing fillies kicked off the stakes action with Kaks The Boss and Kyle Wilfong teaming up to take the first of two $95,139 divisions.
Wilfong hustled the Jeff Cullipher trainee to the lead from post six, parked to the outside of Loveyoucookie (Ricky Macomber Jr.) to the quarter in :27. Kaks The Boss cleared on the backstretch to lead to the half in :56 before going unchallenged to three-quarters in 1:25. Turning for home, Kaks The Boss dug in gamely with a :27.3 final quarter to hold Loveyoucookie at bay by three parts of a length in a career best 1:52.3. Kaks The Boss paid $9 to win.
A winner now in two of four starts this season, Kaks The Boss is owned by Cullipher along with Pollack Racing. Bred by Victory Hill Farm, the daughter of JK Endofanera-Girl Boss has banked $92,090 in her young career.
Brookview Fancy deployed similar tactics with Joey Putnam in the bike to take the second filly division.
Leaving from the rail, Putnam guided the 2-5 favourite into fourth before tipping to the outside at the quarter pole as Wunderkindbluechip (Mike Oosting) led to that station in :27. Bajillion (John De Long) cleared to the lead before Brookview Fancy took command at the half in :56. JKs Flirty Girl (Ricky Macomber Jr.) charged first-over to cut Brookview Fancy’s lead down to a half-length at three-quarters in 1:24.2. In the lane, Brookview Fancy rebuffed the challenge before opening up by 1-1/2 lengths to win in 1:52.1 over Wunderkindbluechip.
Trained by Aaron Stutzman for owner James Miller, Brookview Fancy has won two of three in her freshman season. The daughter of JK Endofanera-Get Your Armor was bred by Brookview Farms and has earned $57,843 on the year.
Driver Jordan Ross teamed up with trainer Henry Graber Jr. to sweep both divisions of sire stakes for the pacing colts, winning the $95,139 first aboard Big Al Derosa (pictured above).
Ross landed the 6-5 favourite in the pocket early while This JK Rocks (Trace Tetrick) hustled off of the rail to cut the quarter in :27.1. This JK Rocks had things his way to the half in :56 before leading to three-quarters in 1:24.3 with Big Al Derosa in hot pursuit. The race appeared to be wide open midway down the lane as This JK Rocks fought to hold a host of challengers at bay before Big Al Derosa steamrolled up the passing lane in :27.2 to beat This JK Rocks by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52.2.
The clocking was a career best for Big Al Derosa, who is unbeaten in two starts for owners Eleven Star Stables, Indiana Stables, Frank Baldachino and Beasty. The gelded son of Tellitlikeitis-Ideal Soul was bred by Jacob Miller and has banked $54,076.
Ross and Graber Jr. pulled the upset in the $94,444 second division, getting the job done this time with 17-1 shot Freaky Feet Beast.
Ross hustled the longshot to the lead from post six before relinquishing command to Gigis Dream (Trace Tetrick) at the quarter in :28.1. Jay Cross moved 59-1 shot Chandler Bing to the lead from third on the backstretch to reach the halfway point in :56.4. Cross looked to give the field the slip at three-quarters, opening up at that station in 1:25.4 while Freaky Feet Beast was buried now third on the rail in fourth. Despite showing greenness in the lane while splitting rivals, Freaky Feet Beast began to pick up steam while favourites Odds On Anubis (Pete Wrenn) and Special Pete (LeWayne Miller) surged to his outside. Freaky Feet Beast paced home in :26.4 to get his nose down on the wire first in the three-horse photo in 1:53.2 while Odds On Anubis edged Special Pete for place.
Owned by Eleven Star Stables, Frank Baldachino and Beasty, Freaky Feet Beast is a two-time winner in three seasonal outings. The gelded son of Freaky Feet Pete-Keene Supreme was bred by William and Elizabeth Keene along with Douglas Bartley and now sports earnings of $59,208.
Racing continues on Thursday, Aug. 1, with a 14-race card with a first post of 6:15 p.m. Sire Stakes continues with two divisions each for the three-year-old colt and gelding pacers and trotters on the card.
Bettors will have big pools to take aim at on Thursday night, with a carryover of $47,375.60 in the Jackpot Pick 6 (Races 8-13) to go along with a carryover of $9,235.16 in the Hoosier High 5 (Race 14), with the latter featuring a guaranteed pool of $40,000. Additionally, the Late Pick 4 (Races 11-14) will have its traditional Thursday guarantee of $10,000. A free online program is available for the Thursday card and every night of the live racing season on the Harrah’s Hoosier Park website.
(Hoosier Park)