Favourites Tough In INSS; Tetrick And George Dominate

Tarshish

The favourites delivered in round three of Indiana Sire Stakes for the three-year-old pacing fillies, with Tarshish and Canttouchthese each steamrolling first-up on the way to career-best efforts on Saturday, June 28 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Tarshish teamed up with pilot Marvin Luna as the 1-5 bettors’ choice in the $67,808 first division. Leaving from post four, Tarshish secured the four-hole early while Wunderkindbluechip (Atlee Bender) grabbed command of the field of eight through a quarter of :27.2. Brookview Fancy (Kyle Wilfong) tipped from third and brushed to the lead before reaching the half in :55 when Tarshish moved off the cones entering the final turn. Tarshish eased her way into third on the outside while Brookview Fancy remained on the accelerator to three-quarters in a stiff 1:22.2.

Tarshish wheeled alongside a tiring Brookview Fancy before powering clear of the field midway through the lane. Pacing home in :27.2, Tarshish cruised to a 2-3/4-length 1:50.1 score as Wunderkindbluechip shook loose late off the cones to rally for second over Vel Cinderella (Marcus Miller).

Walter Haynes Jr. trains the winning daughter of Luck Be Withyou-The Partys Rockin for owner Joanne Samples. Tarshish has now won five of six starts on the season, banking $93,498 on the season and $293,071 lifetime with seven wins in 15 career starts.

After tasting defeat for the first time this season in her last start to Tarshish, Canttouchthese rebounded as the 1-9 favorite in the $67,123 second division. Canttouchthese and John De Long floated out into fourth from post five while Angelatyourfeet (Jordan Ross) cut the opening quarter from the rail in :27.1. Angelatyourfeet went unchallenged to the half in :55 when De Long right-lined the favorite, charging first-over alongside the leader at three-quarters in 1:23.2.

Canttouchthese grabbed a short lead midway through the lane while Angelatyourfeet battled to her inside. Canttouchthese wore down a game Angelatyourfeet in deep stretch, getting the win by a length in 1:50.3 with Kaks The Boss (Luna) finishing third at 43-1, 3-1/4 lengths behind the winner.

Roger Welch trains the winning homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-Cant Touch This for owners William and Patrick De Long and Douglas Riccolo. Canttouchthese, the reigning Sire Stakes champion, has won three of four races on the season, good for $94,863 in seasonal earnings, and is nine-for-12 lifetime with $441,363 in the bank.

Niko Man ($6.40) captured the evening's $30,137 Open 1 Trot, surging down the stretch to prevail in a three-across finish by a neck in 1:53 over Flagman (Kevin Lambright), followed by Dover In Motion (Ricky Macomber Jr.). Mike Oosting piloted the five-year-old Cassis-Andover The Prize gelding for trainer Ken Rucker and owners Russell Beeman and Jack Freeman. 

Angel Hill ($4.40) prevailed in the distaff overnight feature, taking over after the half and holding off Goo Goo Won (Kyle Wilfong) by a half-length for a 1:49.2 victory in the $30,137 Fillies and Mares Open 1 Pace. Wild Rosa (Oosting) finished third. The winning five-year-old Racing Hill-Beach Party Hill mare is owned by Thunder Racing Stables Inc.

She was one of four wins on the 14-race card for the combo of leading driver Trace Tetrick and trainer Tyler George. They teamed up to win with Miss Fancy Nancy ($3), Utopia Blue Chip ($4.60), Angel Hill, and Flamboyance ($9). It was a banner night for Tetrick, who also won with Dans Credit ($5.40) from the Rick Plano barn, and Jeff Cullipher's Southwind Cherry ($5) for a six-win evening.

Rick Plano kicked off the card with a trio of training victories. In addition to Dans Credit, he scored with two longshots: Glenfidich ($60.40), who was placed first, and Splash Of Pink ($29).

Racing returns to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Tuesday, July 1 with a 14-race card set to get underway at 6:15 p.m.

(With files from Harrah's Hoosier Park; photo of Tarshish winning on June 28)

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