Penn turned in a sharp, front-running effort to pull off the 24-1 upset in the featured event of the evening, a $21,000 Invitational Trot, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.

With Darrell Wright at the lines, Penn wired the field in 1:55.2 to earn his first victory of the season over a track rated "good."

In a talented group of 10, the Bobby Brower trainee wasted no time as he fired off the gate from post three to reach the first quarter in a soft :28. Escuela and Jason Dillander protected their rail position to find a spot along the pylons in second with last week’s winner, Lady Blitz and James Yoder, parked to the outside in third. Natural Herbie and Verlin Yoder, sent off as the 4-5 favourites, were fourth along the rail for much of the mile.

Penn carved out fractions of :57.3 and 1:26.2 while Lady Blitz continued to apply pressure to his outside. Natural Herbie tabbed the cover and was well placed second over as the field turned for home, but would have his work cut out for him as Penn looked strong on the lead.

Wright asked Penn for more and the five-year-old gelding used a :29 final panel to hold off a late charge from Boffin and Tyler Smith. Allie Labrook and Dan Shetler rallied late in the lane, but had to settle for third-place honours. Penn returned $51.60 at the windows.

“Tonight, that was the plan,” Brower noted after the victory. “We didn’t want to have any trouble so we went right to the front. He’s a really nice horse. My wife [Debbie Brower] and Skip White do great job taking care of him in the barn. They keep him happy and he’s just a great horse to have around. I look forward to racing him here all summer.”

Penn scored his first seasonal victory from just two starts. The five-year-old gelded son of Master Glide-Photo Queen now has 20 career victories and has earned $123,934 for owner Barkley Counts.

(Hoosier Park)