Odds-on favourites Canttouchthese and Tarshish continued their tear through the sophomore pacing filly division of the Indiana Sire Stakes with a pair of dominant scores in the fourth leg on Saturday, July 12 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Canttouchthese and John De Long were sent away as the 3-5 chalk in the $66,438 first division from the outside post six. De Long floated Canttouchthese into fourth off the wings while Angelatyourfeet (Jordan Ross) was parked and pressing to the lead around Miss Fancy Nancy (Trace Tetrick) through a quarter of :27.1. Ross hustled Angelatyourfeet on the backstretch, reaching the half in :56 before De Long brushed Canttouchthese to the top moving into the final turn. Canttouchthese picked up the pace moving around the bend, striding two lengths clear at three-quarters in in 1:23.2 while Miss Fancy Nancy moved to the outside of Angelatyourfeet from third.

Turning for home, Miss Fancy Nancy powered into second but still had two lengths to make up on Canttouchthese. Under confident De Long handling, Canttouchthese held Miss Fancy Nancy at bay by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:50.4. Angelatyourfeet held for third.

Canttouchthese has now won four of five starts at three for trainer Roger Welch and 10 of 13 races lifetime. The homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-Cant Touch This has banked $127,851 on the season and $474,351 lifetime for owners William and Patrick De Long and Douglas Riccolo.

In the $67,123 second division, Tarshish lived up to the hype at 1-5 en route to her third straight victory, this time with Jay Cross in the bike. Tarshish took a seat in fifth early while Cc Rockin Rosie (Tetrick) blasted from the outside post seven before reaching the quarter first in a blistering :26.1 inside of Princess In Pink (LeWayne Miller). Princess In Pink pressed on to the lead on the backstretch before Tarshish launched from fifth, steamrolling to the top through a :54.1 half. Tarshish sped to three-quarters in 1:22.4 from there, opening up a 2-1/2-length lead.

Under Cross urging, Tarshish’s lead widened to four lengths mid-way through the lane as a trio of fillies battled for place. Tarshish would coast from there, crossing the wire 2-1/2 lengths clear in 1:51.1 over Princess In Pink. Vel Cinderella (Marcus Miller) and Kaks The Boss (Kyle Wilfong) dead-heated for the show position.

Walter Haynes Jr. trains Tarshish, who has won six of seven outings while banking $126,596 on the season for owner Joanne Samples. The daughter of Luck Be Withyou-The Partys Rockin was bred by Luckiana Farm and now boasts a career bankroll of $326,169 while winning half of her 16 lifetime starts.

Trainer Rick Plano tripled on the 14-race card, a performance highlighted by Flagman's victory in the Open Trot. The Guccio-Magic Lindy gelding, driven by Kevin Lambright, got by the favoured Ponda Jet (Wilfong) in the stretch and kicked clear by two lengths for the 1:51.3 victory. Ponda Jet held second over Helpfirstedition (De Long). The win was Flagman's 43rd in his 146-start career. Maryann Plano owns the eight-year-old gelding who paid $9 to win. Rick Plano also won with Dans Credit ($3.20) in the opener and Famous Father ($11) in the 12th race.

Racing returns to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Tuesday, July 15 with a 13-race card beginning at the new earlier post time of 5:30 p.m. through the remainder of the season. The Tuesday card will also feature $10,000 guarantees in the Late Pick 4 (races 10-13) and Late Hoosier High 5 (race 13) done in partnership with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program.

(With files from Hoosier Park; photo of Tarshish winning on July 12)