The top two and three-year-old trotters and pacers in the state of Indiana descended upon Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, October 18 to battle it out in the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Finals in front of a packed house on a chilly, October evening.
As expected, the Super finals delivered some outstanding harness racing battles and well-deserved championships. With purses topping the $1.8 million mark, the 14-race card featured the top 10 competitors from each division and provided an exciting conclusion to the 2014 stakes season.
Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
Hoosier Park’s leading driver Trace Tetrick kicked off his four-win evening with an impressive score in the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final for two-year-old trotting fillies with Churita in 1:56. The freshman filly looked every bit the part of a 1-9 favourite as she took control just past the half and rattled off fractions of :57.2 and 1:27.1 before coasting home to an 11 length victory.
The 1:56 victory was a new lifetime-best for the daughter of Airzoom Lindy-Stonebridge Volare and eighth of the season. Golden Big Stick and Brad Hanners held on for second place honours while Herbies Wildflower and Andy Shetler rounded out the trifecta. Churita returned $2.40 to her backers at the windows.
“She has certainly surpassed my expectations,” winning trainer Matt Rheinheimer noted in the winner’s circle. “She had typical two-year-old stuff earlier in the season but she has really developed into something special. She’s really easy to get along with and she loves what she’s doing.”
Trained by Matt Rheinheimer, Churita kept her eight-race win streak intact as she sent her career bankroll to $263,225 for her owner Jackie Porter. Churita has now finished on the board in all 10 of her career outings while winning eight of those.
Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
Hudson Jesse and driver Peter Wrenn were able to take advantage of a pocket trip to score in their round of the stakes action, the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final for three-year-old trotting fillies, with a 1:56.3 final time.
Hudson Jesse left aggressively from post three to get the first call around the opening panel in :27.2 but their lead was short-lived as Trace Tetrick had the bettors’ choice, Hall Pass Helen, out and firing going toward the half. Hall Pass Helen cleared to the front to carve out soft, middle fractions of :58.3 and 1:28 while Hudson Jesse waited patiently for the stretch drive from the pocket.
Wrenn found racing room up the rail and Hudson Jesse used a :28.2 final panel to find the wire two lengths in front of a hard-charging Baby Steps and Tyler Smith. As the public’s third choice, Hudson Jesse returned $7.60 at the betting windows.
“She’s like driving a car,” Wrenn noted after the win. “She doesn’t really have any quirks, she responds so nicely to everything. The trip worked out to my favour and she was very strong tonight.”
Trained by William Crone, Hudson Jesse notched the fifth win of her sophomore campaign from 16 seasonal outings. Owned by John Barnard, the daughter of Jailhouse Jesse-Angel Touched has now amassed $232,688 in her career.
Two-Year-Old Trotting Colts
Quiet Hall and Ed Hensley made a loud splash in the $200,000 Indiana Sire Stakes Super Final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings as they pulled a slight upset at 8-1 to score in 1:56.1. Quiet Hall was able to use a :27.3 final panel to nose out the heavily favoured Airman Batten at the wire.
Leaving from the trailing post 10 , Quiet Hall was away a worrisome ninth in the early stages of the race while Andy Shetler and Steal N Gas dictated early fractions of :27.3 and :58.2. Heavily favoured Airman Batten and LeWayne Miller began the first over attack just after the half and Quiet Hall grabbed the cover.
Airman Batten reached the leader’s wheel around the three-quarter clocking in 1:28 but began to drift out in the stretch. As the top pair began to tire, Hensley guided Quiet Hall up the middle of the track and the colt responded to win by a narrow margin. Airman Batten held on gamely for second while Bluebird Reverend and Rick Farrington closed nicely for third. Quiet Hall returned $18.00 for the victory.
“We missed the final last week to prepare for this race,” winning trainer Roger Welch noted. “He has trained well lately. He is a green colt that is a bit immature still but he has come a long way. He is a nice colt.”
Sired by Justice Hall, Quiet Hall bested his lifetime mark by a full second with the 1:56.1 victory. It was the third win of the season from nine outings as he pushed his career bankroll to $149,020. Quiet Hall is owned by Welch, William C. DeLong, William P. DeLong, and Gordon Wright.
Two-Year-Old Filly Pace
Rockin Good continued her winning ways as she scored her second consecutive win in stakes action in the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final for two-year-old pacing fillies in 1:53.3. Driven, trained, and co-owned by Jared Finn, Rockin Good scored her fifth win of the season with the victory.
Unhurried from the gate, Rockin Good settled along the rail in fifth while the rest of the field battled for early position. The heavily favored Feetonthedashboard and Dale Hiteman had to work for position but reached the front in :27.2.
Finn made his winning move down the backside as he gave Rockin Good the green light and the freshman filly easily captured the lead at the second station in :56.4. Rockin Good saved her best for last as she used a :27 final quarter to fend off a late charge from Rock The Look and Trent Stohler to win by two lengths. Sent off as the second choice in the field of nine, Rockin Good returned $7.80 for the victory.
“I didn’t want to get caught in an early speed battle so I eased her off the gate,” Finn noted after the race. “She’s really easy to drive, it’s not exactly how I thought the race would go but that’s racing. She raced great tonight, from the first time I qualified her, I knew she was something special.”
From the first crop of Rockin Image, Rockin Good has now won five of 11 seasonal outings. Owned by Mark Finn and Jared Finn, the freshman filly now sports a career bankroll of $181,250.
Three-Year-Old Trotting Colts
Rose Run Parker continued his winning ways as he turned in a stellar mile to capture the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final for sophomore trotting colts by nearly nine lengths in 1:54.2. Driven by his regular pilot Ricky Macomber Jr., Rose Run Parker notched his seventh consecutive victory at Hoosier Park.
Nothinbutanallstar and Mark O’Mara were the early pacesetters as they established early fractions of :27 and :56.2 before ever feeling a threat. Rose Run Parker made his customary move to the lead down the backside and was in control at third station in 1:25.4.
Appearing to be on cruise control, Rose Run Parker used a :28.3 final panel to coast home a winner. Chips and Ross Leonard staged a big rally late in the lane to finish second while Nothinbutanallstar held on gamely for third. As the heavy favourite, Rose Run Parker returned $2.40 at the betting windows.
“He’s such a great horse,” assistant trainer Jamie Rucker noted in the winner’s circle. “I would be lying if I said he didn’t make me nervous at times but he always pulls through. As for the rest of the season, he will be aimed at the Carl Erskine Trot here at Hoosier Park and we will go from there based on his performance.”
Trained by Hoosier Park’s leading trainer, Ron Burke, Rose Run Parker has now won 12 of 14 outings at three while earning $206,125 this season. The gelded son of Jailhouse Jesse-Centergy has earned $537,250 lifetime for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, and W. Haas Jr.
Three-Year-Old Pacing Fillies
Colors A Virgin proved her dominance once again in the three-year-old pacing filly ranks as she coasted home a winner in 1:52.4 in the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final. The 2014 Jugette winner looked every bit the part of a 1-9 favourite as she scored her 11th of the season and gave driver Trace Tetrick his third victory of the night.
Leaving from post eight, Colors A Virgin was unable to find a spot along the rail in the early stages of the race and was forced to make an uncharacteristic move to the lead. No Lies and LeWayne Miller got the first call around the opening panel in :27 but quickly yielded the lead to Colors A Virgin. Colors A Virgin dictated middle fractions of :57.2 and 1:25.4 before being joined on the outside by her stablemate, Candys A Virgin and Tyler Smith.
Tetrick asked Colors A Virgin for more and the three-year-old filly dug in gamely to hold off a late charge from Sand Tilly Lace and Ed Hensley. Candys A Virgin held on for third place honours. As the heavy betting favourite, Colors A Virgin returned $2.60 at the betting windows.
“I’ve been in the business long enough to know this is a once in a lifetime kind of filly,” owner Bruce Trogdon noted in the winner’s circle. “Trace has done a phenomenal job driving her and he always takes such good care of her. These kind of fillies don’t come around everyday so we’re just enjoying the ride.”
Trained by Brian Brown, Colors A Virgin has now won 16 of 24 lifetime victories. The daughter of Always A Virgin-Full Color has amassed $596,072 through two seasons of racing.
Two-Year-Old Pacing Colts
Trace Tetrick would find the winner’s circle once more on the evening as he guided Freaky Feet Pete to a sizzling 1:50.4 score in the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Over a track rated good, Freaky Feet Pete dominated his competition by 11 lengths and just missed his lifetime record by a fifth of a second.
Starting from the trailing post position 10, Freaky Feet Pete was uninvolved in the early stages of the race while Camturo Rock and Andy Shetler carved out fractions of :26.4 and :55.2. Skim The Top and Don Harmon made a move to the front down the backside and Tetrick followed suit.
Freaky Feet Pete reached command around the three-quarter clocking in 1:23.3 and began to put his talent on display as the field turned for home. As the rest of the field struggled to stay within striking distance, Freaky Feet Pete cruised home with a :27.1 last quarter. The Big Year and Dan Shetler rallied for second while Harfo Hanover and Tyler Smith rounded out the trifecta.
“I just wanted to make sure I didn’t get locked in or have any traffic issues,” Tetrick noted in the winner’s circle. “He is an amazing animal who loves his job, he continues to impress me with every start he has.”
Trained by Larry Rheinheimer, Freaky Feet Pete scored his eighth consecutive victory at Hoosier Park and his ninth career victory from 10 lifetime outings. The son of Rockin Image-Skyway Lori has now earned $261,950 for his owners Mary Jo Rheinheimer and Marty Rheinheimer. Freaky Feet Pete currently holds Hoosier Park’s track record for two-year-old pacing colts with his 1:50.3 mark in stakes action earlier in the season.
Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts
Not to be outdone by his two-year-old counterpart, Always B Miki returned to Hoosier Park and dazzled with a 1:49.1 victory in the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final for three-year-old pacing colts. Driven by Peter Wrenn, Always B Miki was home a winner by eight lengths en route to his third consecutive victory.
Leaving from post seven in the field of 10, Always B Miki eased off the gate while Bluehourpower and Sam Widger established a hot, opening panel in :25.3. The speed continued as Bluehourpower led the field to the half in :53.3 but Wrenn had Always B Miki aimed for the front.
Always B Miki effortlessly grabbed the lead at the third station in 1:22 and appeared to be on cruise control to the wire. Using a :27.1 final panel, Always B Miki finished eight lengths in front of his closest competitor, Always The Sun and Tyler Smith. TGs Divine Scene and Andy Shetler rallied late to round out the trifecta. Sent off as the 1-9 choice, Always B Miki returned $2.10 to his backers at the betting windows.
“Anything below top speed with this horse and you feel like you’re walking,” Wrenn noted in the winner’s circle. “When he is in against some top, top horses it would be scary to see how fast he would go. He’s just a machine.
“If he raced well they said they were supplementing him to the Breeders Crown,” Wrenn continued. “I think he has certainly earned his right to go. He deserves to showcase his talent against the best of the best.”
Trained by Joe Holloway, Always B Miki notched the 10th victory from 17 seasonal outings. The son of Always A Virgn-Artstopper has now earned $776,866 for his connections of Bluewood Stable, Val D’Or Farms and Roll The Dice Stable.
(Hoosier Park)