Trot Insider has learned that Indiana Sires Stakes champ Homicide Hunter has been sold with his new connections setting sights on Grand Circuit competition.

In 2015, Homicide Hunter assembled an enviable record of 16-1-1 from 18 sophomore starts. The altered son of Mr Cantab - Evening Prayer was unstoppable in his state's program, winning all 16 starts with just three win margins by less than a length.

His two defeats came against Grand Circuit competition. In his first attempt, he finished ahead of divisional star and Hambletonian champ Pinkman in the Carl Erskine Memorial at Hoosier Park, only bested by Crazy Wow. In the 2015 American National, he finished third to Breeders Crown winner The Bank and Yonkers Trot winner Habitat.

A homebred owned by Dr. Patrick Graham of Pittsfield, Ill. and trained by Curt Grummel throughout his two- and three-year-old seasons, Homicide Hunter has been purchased by Crawford Farms of Cazenovia, N.Y.

"We started watching him last year when he was racing out in Indiana and we really liked him," Michelle Crawford told Trot Insider. "We really enjoy racing and we wanted to acquire a few of the four-year-olds and he was definitely a good prospect. He had great owners, his owner was really wonderful. When we started talking about it, we became a nice option for them as a four-year-old because they know he's in good hands."

In the latter part of 2015, Michelle and Al Crawford added sophomore stakes winners Split The House and Devil Child to their racing ranks. Homicide Hunter was also on the radar at that time but Crawford notes that the previous owners weren't yet looking to sell. Those last two starts against Grand Circuit competition definitely helped raise the horse's value, but it also helped raise his profile and others started making offers on the trotting colt.

"Believe me, the offers were coming in left and right. I was getting nervous," admitted Crawford. "I think at the end of the day [Pat] knew the money was where he wanted it to be and we were a really good home for him because he would never go anywhere when he was done racing...he would retire at our farm."

Homicide Hunter was shipped to the Crawford's farm in New York for a few weeks of turnout. He left for Florida on Wednesday.

"He's a beautiful horse and in talking to Pat before he shipped, he said he's an easy keeper, he really didn't have a ton of vet work, everyone loves him and he has a phenomenal demeanour in the barn. He did not have a lot issues, which shows."

Could Homicide Hunter follow the wave of talented Indiana-sired horses -- most notably Always B Miki, Freaky Feet Pete, Natural Herbie and Wiggle It Jiggleit -- that have gone on to compete with and win against North America's best? The Crawfords certainly hope so. Like with Split The House, Chris Oakes will train the colt, and the Crawfords plan on staking Homicide Hunter with the intention of racing him against the top older trotters.

"I think we agree we're going to give him every shot, we'll give him every opportunity and at the end of the day if we have a solid open horse that will be really fun to watch."