Coming off the heels of the Indiana Sires Stakes Super Finals night, Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino hosted another round of Grand Circuit action on Friday, October 18. The Pegasus Stakes for three-year-olds were the featured events of the evening, with two divisions for each sex and gait.
With the exception of an upset by Yes, favourites prevailed with wins from Rockin Nola, Pure Chance, Highlandbeachlover, Thunder, Grand Swan, Jk American Beauty and Hickfromfrenchlick. Rockin Nola and Grand Swan defended their home turf with wins in their respective divisions and six of the eight stakes races saw at least one Indiana sired horse on the board. It was also another big night for Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s leading driver Trace Tetrick who scored five wins on the evening.
The night kicked off with the 2019 Indiana Sires Stakes three-year-old pacing filly champion, Rockin Nola scoring her second consecutive victory for driver Joey Putnam. Using her customary late-rallying style, Rockin Nola found a spot mid-pack in sixth and waited patiently through fractions of :26.4, :56.2 and 1:24.1, eventually moving to the outer flow to make her bid. Once the wire was in sight, Rockin Nola dug in with a final quarter of :27 and grabbed the win, a length to the good. She stopped the clock in 1:51.2, followed by Fully A Virgin with Michael Oosting. Rockin Nola paid $3.80 at the betting windows.
Rockin Nola is the daughter of Rockin Image-Gottogetoutmore and was bred by Mahlon Lambright. With tonight’s win, the Joe Putnam trainee has won 11 of 25 lifetime starts and sports a lifetime bankroll of $415,672 for owners Joe Putnam, Suttons Bay Racing and Novi Trot.
After winning the early double, Trace Tetrick would return to the winner’s circle with three-year-old trotting filly Pure Chance who turned in an impressive effort in 1:53. Tetrick eased the filly off the gate and she settled along the rail in fourth but it didn’t take long for Pure Chance to move to the lead. At the half in :56.3, Tetrick guided the filly to the front, clocking fractions of :56.3 and 1:25.1. Turning for home, Pure Chance bolstered her lead on the field, eventually crossing the wire two lengths ahead of her competition, leaving Sensibility with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. to settle for second. Pure Chance paid $4.40 to win.
Pure Chance, the daughter of Triumphant Caviar-Jewell Creek, has won nine of 22 lifetime starts and established a new lifetime best with the win. Trained and co-owned by Chris Beaver, the filly sports a lifetime bankroll of $269,488 for co-owner Steven Zeehandelar. Pure Chance was bred by Jonas Schlabach.
Stakes action for the pacing colts began with a victory from Highlandbeachlover and Brett Miller. The Ernie Gaskin trainee grabbed a pocket seat from the start and held it through the first split in :27. Miller gave Highlandbeachlover the green light down the backside and he moved to the outside, passing his competition through fractions of :54.3 and 1:21.4. The heavily favoured Dealers Table and Sam Widger made a strong bid at the leader but Highlandbeachlover dug in gamely to get the win over a fast-closing Rose Run Ulysses and Trace Tetrick in 1:50. Highlandbeachlover paid $6.80 for his backers at the betting windows.
Highlandbeachlover is the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Rockn Highland and has won eight of 25 lifetime starts and established a new lifetime mark with the victory. Owned by Desyllas Racing, Elmore’s Race Horses and William Beck, the gelding now sports a lifetime bankroll of $144,314. Highlandbeachlover was bred by Highland Thoroughbred Farm.
In the very next race, Tetrick continued his winning ways, this time with the John Butenschoen-trained trotting colt Thunder. Thunder spent the first quarter of the race trading positions with Mass Fortune K and Brett Miller, the latter leading at the opening split in :27.1. Thunder grabbed the lead soon after, clocking fractions of :56.3 and 1:26.1. Digging in with a final quarter of :27.3, Thunder finished just a head in front of Smooth Acceleration and John De Long in 1:54.1, paying $3.40 to win.
Thunder, the son of Conway Hall-Cr Oh Suzanna, scored his first win of the season and now sports a lifetime bankroll of $255,171 for owners Crawford Farms Racing, Day Dream Racing and VIP Internet Stables. He has now won six of 16 lifetime starts.
Indiana Sires Stakes champion Grand Swan found the winner’s circle for the third consecutive time for trainer-driver LeWayne Miller. Uninvolved through the early stages of the race, Grand Swan sat fifth through opening fractions of :28.1 and :56.3. When the field reached the third quarter in 1:25.1, Grand Swan began to make her move and was closing in fast on the leaders. With a final quarter of :28.2, Grand Swan tracked the leaders down and coasted to the wire two lengths to the good with a final time of 1:53.4 paying $2.80 to win. She was followed by American Kronos with Trace Tetrick.
The recently crowned 2019 Indiana Sires Stakes three-year-old trotting filly champion, Grand Swan is the daughter of Swan For All-Queen Mum and was bred by Larry Miller. She has won 17 of 24 lifetime starts and now boasts a lifetime bankroll of $559,750 for owners Grand Swan Racing, Go Fast Stable and Never 2 Late Stable.
Just when it seemed a favourites trend was forming, a price finally scored when Michael Oosting guided Erv Miller trainee Yes to the winner’s circle, lighting up the tote board and paying $70.20 to win in their split of the stakes action for three-year-old trotting colts. Yes grabbed a pocket seat and held it through and opening fraction of :27.3. Oosting waited patiently for much of the mile and found late racing room and Yes responded. Charging home with a final quarter of :26.4, Yes crossed the wire almost two lengths to the good, besting the field in 1:53:3. He was followed by Indiana Sires Stakes champion and post-time favourite, Swandre The Giant with Ronnie Wrenn Jr.
“It worked out better than I thought,” driver Michael Oosting said about the upset. “I wanted to get out close and make sure we didn’t have any trouble. Once we found late racing room, he was full of trot.”
Yes, the son of Manofmanymissions-Fantasy Yankee has now won six of 24 lifetime starts and brought his lifetime to $208,903 with tonight’s win. He was bred by Eddie Lohmeyer and has international connections being owned by Thestable Yes Group out of Ontario.
The second pacing filly to take home a win was the Nancy Johansson trainee JK American Beauty, who delivered as the heavy betting favourite in her split of the stakes action. Driven by Brett Miller, JK American Beauty made her move to the front down the backside and was able to hold off all challengers to stop the timer in 1:52.1. Summer Charm and Drew Monti surged late in the lane but were forced to settle for second-place honours. JK American Beauty paid $5.40 to win for her betting backers.
JK American Beauty is the homebred daughter of American Ideal-JK Black Beauty and is owned by 3 Brothers Stables. With the win, Jk American Beauty has won 5 of 28 lifetime starts and holds a lifetime bankroll of $370,523.
New York Sires Stakes Champion Hickfromfrenchlick made his Hoosier Park debut a winning one and extended his win streak to seven in impressive fashion in the final leg of stakes action for three-year-old pacing colts. With Trace Tetrick in the bike, Hickfromfrenchlick reached command just past the half and never looked back. Finishing under a hand drive from Tetrick, Hickfromfrenchlick was an open length winner and stopped the timer in 1:49.4, the fastest stakes time of the night. Hickfromfrenchlick paid $2.80 to win.
“He’s a great horse and he’s so tough,” trainer Ryan Miller noted in the winner’s circle. “He’s been well-traveled this season and he can race on any size track. He’s got a few races left here at Hoosier Park this season, like the Monument Circle.”
Hickfromfrenchlick is the son of So Surreal-My Girls A Star and was bred by Steve Jones. He has now won 14 of 20 starts and sports a lifetime bankroll of $561,927 for owners Ray Schnittker, Nolamaura Racing and Thomas Spatorico.
Grand Circuit racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park will continue on Friday, October 25 with the Circle City Stakes, followed by the Madison County Stakes for the two-year-olds on Saturday, October 26. Grand Circuit racing will wrap up at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, November 1 with The $200,000 Monument Circle, The $200,000 Carl Erskine, The $100,000 USS Memorial and The Crossroads of America.
(Hoosier)