Hoosier Park played host to a stakes-filled card on Friday, as Grand Circuit racing action made a stop at Hoosier Park’s seven-eighths mile oval for the third time this year.
The 14-race card was highlighted by divisions of the Circle City Stakes for three-year-old trotters and pacers and it was Hoosier Park’s leading trainer, Ron Burke who stole the show with five winners on the card. Teaming up with drivers Matt Kakaley and Ricky Macomber, Jr., the Burke stable found the winner’s circle four times in stakes action and ended the evening with a victory in the Invitational Pace.
Sayitall BB kicked off the stakes action for Burke as she was able to turn a pocket-trip into a 1:51.4 score in her $35,650 split of the Circle City Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Kakaley sent the sophomore pacing filly away from the gate to grab a pocket seat behind Skippin By and Trace Tetrick who carved out fractions of :26.1, :54.3, and 1:23.4 before ever feeling a threat. Sayitall BB was given the green light around the final turn and the sophomore filly used a :27.4 final panel to finish three-parts of a length in front of Skippin By. Fresh off her win in the Cinderella Stakes at Maywood Park, Sayitall BB has now won eight of 13 seasonal outings.
With a seven-race win streak on the line, Rose Run Parker delivered as the heavy betting favourite in his $37,150 division of the Circle City Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings with a final time of 1:53.4.
With regular pilot Ricky Macomber, Jr. at the lines, Rose Run Parker made his customary move down the backside and was in control around the three-quarter mark. As the field turned for home, Rose Run Parker put his talent on display and he trotted away from the field to win by five lengths. The 1:53.4 mark was a new track record at Hoosier Park for three-year-old trotting geldings and a new lifetime best for Rose Run Parker.
JK Endofanera looked every bit the part of a 1-5 favourite as he cruised home a winner in 1:49.4 in the first $30,000 division of the Circle City Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
With driver Matt Kakaley in the sulky, JK Endofanera made his winning move down the backside and never looked back. The son of Art Major-Presidential Lady powered away from the field with a :27.4 final quarter to win by eight lengths over his stablemate At Press Time and Ricky Macomber, Jr. JK Endofanera was prepping for the $250,000 Monument Circle Pace slated for Friday, October 31 at Hoosier Park.
The Burke team found the winner’s circle once again, but this time it was with the 2014 Little Brown Jug winner, Limelight Beach who stopped the timer in 1:50.3 in the third split of the $30,000 Circle City Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts.
Kakaley wasted no time as he sent Limelight Beach away from the gate firing from post five. The son of Somebeachsomewhere-Benear rattled off fractions of :26.1, :55.1, and 1:23.3 before using a :27 final panel to coast home a winner by two lengths. Limelight Beach has now won four of 17 seasonal outings and pushed his 2014 bankroll to $539,118.
The Burke-Kakaley duo notched their final victory of the night after Bettors Edge used a near gate-to-wire effort to score in the $22,000 Invitational pace in 1:49.4.
The five-year-old gelded son of Bettor’s Delight-Spring Wind was able to hold off a late charge from Mykindachip and Ed Hensley late in the lane to score his seventh of the season.
(Hoosier Park)