Montenegro and Jason Dillander turned in a dominant performance to capture the co-featured event of the evening, a $21,000 Fillies and Mares Invitational Pace, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, July 10.

Using a sharp, gate-to-wire effort, Montenegro was able to hold off the rest of the field late in the lane to score in 1:51.4.

Leaving from post five, Dillander sent Montenegro away from the gate firing and she reached the front through the opening panel in :27.2. Wild Wanda and Andy Shetler also left aggressively to grab a pocket seat with Native Dream and Peter Wrenn next in line, third.

Montenegro rattled off middle fractions of :56.1 and 1:25 before feeling a threat from Wild Wanda, who tipped from the pocket approaching the final turn. As the field turned for home, Tyler Smith had the heavy betting favourite, Colors A Virgin, three-wide but she would have her work cut out for her as Montenegro looked game on the front.

Using a :26.4 final quarter, Montenegro dug in gamely to hold off Wild Wanda and Colors A Virgin, who finished second and third, respectively. As the bettors’ second choice, Montenegro returned $4.80 at the windows.

Trained by Jeff Cullipher, the seven-year-old Camluck mare scored her fifth victory of the season and has now won 32 of 149 lifetime outings. Owned by Randall Bendis and Thomas Pollack, Montenegro has earned $87,135 this season.

On the trotting side of things, Allie Labrook returned to her home state and turned in an impressive performance to score in 1:52.4 in the co-featured $21,000 Invitational Trot.

After racing at Mohawk Racetrack for three starts, Allie Labrook returned to Hoosier Park to score her third win of the season with Dan Shetler in the sulky. The 1:52.4 victory was just a few ticks off the overall trotting track record at Hoosier Park, a 1:52 mark she established earlier in the season.

Using her customary late-surging tactics, Allie Labrook was rated off the pace through fractions of :27, :56.3 and 1:25.1 before beginning her attack in the final turn. As the field turned for home, Allie Labrook was poised to strike. Shetler asked his mount for more and Allie Labrook found another gear to win under wraps by three lengths.

Natural Herbie and Verlin Yoder staged a big rally late in the lane but had too much ground to make up at the end of the mile and had to settle for second-place honours. Lady Blitz and James Yoder rounded out the trifecta. Allie Labrook returned $6.60 to her backers.

The five-year-old daughter of Here Comes Herbie is trained by Shetler and has now won three of eight seasonal outings. Owned by Sawgrass Farms, Allie Labrook has amassed $185,932 lifetime.

Live racing continues at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, July 11 with a 14-race card featuring the $21,000 Invitational Pace.

(Hoosier Park)