Swan Good Bi Goes Seven Unbeaten With INSS Victory
Peter Haughton Memorial champion Swan Good Bi returned to Indiana Sire Stakes (INSS) competition for the sixth and final preliminary leg for two-year-old trotters on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Harrah's Hoosier Park and remained perfect through seven career starts.
In the $66,197 second split for males, Swan Good Bi (Jordan Ross) and Ponda Cheetah (Marcus Miller) teed off early, with post-two starter Ponda Cheetah using the inside advantage to out-muscle post-three leaver Swan Good Bi to the quarter in :28.4. Swan Good Bi hit back on the backstretch to take the lead and reach the half-mile marker in front in :58.4. Steppinouttohelp (Robert Taylor) began to advance on the outside from fourth but was five lengths back at three-quarters in 1:28. Swan Good Bi opened up in the stretch and had smooth sailing home to score in 1:56 by 1-1/4 lengths. Ponda Cheetah finished second, while Steppinouttohelp completed the top three.
The winning Swan For All-Bange Bi gelding is owned by Indiana Stables LLC, Frank Baldachino, Michael Rosenthal and James Zito. Swan Good Bi, bred by Ernie Lambright, increased his lifetime bank account to $479,230 and is now seven-for-seven for trainer Henry Graber Jr. He paid $2.10 to win.
Fifty And Famous, driven by Trace Tetrick for trainer Luis Quevedo, dominated his eight opponents in the $66,901 first division for colts and geldings, booking his trip to the winner's circle with a career-best effort.
Fifty And Famous drifted in while ranging forward from post eight, following Swan Ace (Lewayne Miller) on the rim through a :28.1 first panel. After that rival cleared, Fifty And Famous continued to the top before the half in :56.4, then lengthened the gap to second to three-quarters in 1:26.1. Despite early pressure in the mile, Fifty And Famous left no doubts in the stretch as he pulled clear by six lengths in the 1:54.1 romp. Heffae (Lamar Wingard) got up for second, while Copperstone (John De Long) rallied for third.
Fifty And Famous is owned and was bred by John Barnard. The Fiftydallarbill-Dance To Flame colt boosted his lifetime earnings to $95,325 in his third win from six outings. The win price was $2.60.
So Joyful produced a powerful last quarter to take the final $66,197 division for the colts and geldings.
So Joyful (John De Long) hunkered in behind the spry Mendoza Mafia (Atlee Bender), who gunned to the early lead through the first quarter in :27.4 and caught soft middle splits of :57.3 and 1:27.1. So Joyful came off the perfect pocket trip and blew by Mendoza Mafia by 3-1/4 lengths to prevail in 1:55.3. Mendoza Mafia finished second, and Ponda Solve (Kyle Wilfong) closed for third.
The Ernie Gaskin-trained So Joyful tallied his fifth win in nine starts and has now earned $176,924. The Rebuff-Skateaway colt was bred by Luckiana Farm and Aaron Stutzman and is owned by All-Wright Racing LLC, Brian Code and James Nellinger. He paid $2.10 to win.
In the two $94,366 splits for distaffs, a pair of fillies who were on the outside looking in on points stamped their spot into the $250,000 USD final on Hoosier Champions Night. Ponda Crystal was the first of the two, pulling an 8-1 upset with Atlee Bender aboard.
Away from the outside post seven, Ponda Crystal floated away into third early while Gladden (Trace Tetrick) took the field to the first quarter in :28.3. The 1-5 favourite, Fine Wine (Jay Cross), popped the pocket and asserted herself onto the lead on the backstretch, reaching the halfway point in :58. Ican Hardly Wait (Kevin Lambright) moved first-over on the turn, leaving Ponda Crystal trapped along the cones while Fine Wine guided the fillies to three-quarters in 1:28.1. Fine Wine came under fire in the lane, with Gladden taking aim along the cones before Ponda Crystal shook loose to the outside of the favourite late. Sprinting home in :27.3, Ponda Crystal got up to win by three parts of a length in 1:56.2. Fine Wine held second, with Gladden finishing third.
Trained by Erv Miller, Ponda Crystal has won four of seven starts and banked $79,051. The daughter of Temporal Hanover-Aperfectcrystal was bred by Pond-A-Acres, and is owned by Never 2 Late Stable, Stepbystep Racing and Andy Willinger. The win payout was $18.
In the second filly division, Swan Jocelyn made her career debut a winning one, gobbling up ground late to score with Trace Tetrick in the sulky for trainer Ron Burke.
Tetrick took her back early, settling in sixth on the first turn while Dance Remix (Jordan Ross) trotted to the point in a :28 opener. Dance Remix went unchallenged to the half in :57.1 before Twister Sister (James Yoder) started first-over from third on the far turn at three-quarters in 1:26.4 while Swan Jocelyn was still yet to shift from the cones in fifth. The field began to swarm Dance Remix in the lane, with Help My Heart (John De Long) charging along the cones and Swan Jocelyn moving to the wide side and beginning to roll with five lengths to make up midway through the stretch. Trotting home in :28.1, Swan Jocelyn methodically picked off her foes in the lane, rallying to win by a length over Help My Heart in 1:56.3. Miss Kriss (Marcus Miller) closed from the backfield to snag the show dough at 48-1.
Swan Jocelyn swiftly deposited $47,183 in the bank after her career debut for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino and Michael Rosenthal. Oakwood Farms bred the winning daughter of Swan For All-Southwind Sauna. The winner returned $7.40.
Live racing continues at Hoosier on Wednesday, Sept. 30 with a 14-race program set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. Two-year-old pacing fillies and three-year-old trotting fillies will step into the INSS spotlight with a pair of divisions for each in their last prelim leg. Hoosier Champions Night is slated for Friday, Oct. 10, featuring the eight $250,000 USD Super Finals for two- and three-year-olds, to go along with the four $70,000 USD aged finals.
On the wagering side, the Wednesday card will feature a carryover of $11,151 in the Early High 5 (Race 7), to go along with the $10,000 guaranteed pools in the Late Pick 4 (Races 11-14) and Late High 5 (Race 14), offered in partnership with the USTA's Strategic Wagering Program.
(With files from Hoosier Park)