Sophomore pacers and trotters will be on display Saturday night as Indiana Downs plays host to The Circle City series. The Robert Taylor-trained Southern Rocketop and Joe Seekman pupil Annieswesterncard head a solid group
of open horses competing in the new series at the Shelbyville track. Sawgrass Farms’ Art Official will also ship to Indiana Downs in hopes of adding a win in the $86,000 Indiana Pacing Derby.
A group of 14 colt and gelding trotters dropped in the box, yielding two $33,100 splits. Rick Beinhauer’s Photoforwin will start from Post 2 in the first division, carded as the fifth race on the program. The S Js Photo gelding, third in the World Trotting Derby, has earned $427,335 in his career. The Rich Gillock-trained Winning Mister returns to Indiana Downs after earning a victory in the Oliver Trot in late August, starting from Post 6. The Angus Hall colt took his mark at the Shelbyville oval with a 1:54.3 effort. Indiana Sires Stakes champion Bar One has drawn Post 3.
A field of seven will go to post in the $33,100 Circle City division for three-year-old trotters. Southern Rocketop, a winner of more than $400,000 this season for Powers Farms LLC, will line up third in the night’s ninth race. Dave Magee is set to drive the Psychic Spirit gelding, runner-up to Muscle Hill in the World Trotting Derby. He is joined by Reinsman Hanover, winner of the $100,000 Colonial Consolation, starting from the rail. Review Stakes winner Sargent Volo has drawn the outside post for trainer Brooke Nickells.
Fifteen sophomore colt and gelding pacers entered the Circle City, producing two divisions carrying purses of $34,000. Evening Job, owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JJK Stables and Frank Baldachino, will look to add his seventh win of the season. Starting from Post 4, the Dream Work colt will be driven by Ricky Macomber. What It Means, a Cole Muffler gelding from the Erv Miller Stable has drawn the rail.
Annieswesterncard, looking to rebound from a sixth-place performance in the Breeders Crown, starts from Post 5 for Seekman. The Western Hanover gelding, a winner of just over $500,000 in his career, will be driven by Peter Wrenn. McArdle colt Nob Hill High will start from the rail in the night’s 10th race, while My Boy Luke, a five-time winner this season, lines up fourth for Roger Welch. Sam Widger is set to drive.
A field of seven sophomore pacing fillies will assemble for the $59,600 Circle City contest, slated as the sixth race on the program. Chupp Racing Stable’s Notjustaprettyface has drawn the rail for Wrenn. The Jate Lobell homebred has earned just over $400,000 in her career for Merv Chupp, who serves as trainer. Cole Muffler filly My Heart Was True lines up third for trainer Nick Giberson. Owned by L&L Devisser LLC, the filly has won 11 of 13 starts in 2009 with earnings exceeding $120,000. Ultimate Velocity, a winner in four of six career starts, will file in behind the gate fourth for trainer Trent Stohler.
Entries from trainers Kevin Thomas, Taylor and Tom Blankenship highlight a field of eight that will go postward in the $58,400 Circle City division for sophomore filly trotters. Dancing Filly, half of the Thomas entry for owners Bulletproof Enterprises, starts from Post 4. The Like A Prayer three-year-old won the $300,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes final at Lexington and has earned more than $400,000 in her career. Valley Victory filly Miss Vickie will line up behind the gate second for Taylor. The sophomore enters Saturday’s contest on a four-race winning streak. Rose Run Keepsake, a winner in 12 of 19 seasonal starts, lines up fifth.
A compact field of five will slug it out in the $86,000 Indiana Pacing Derby, the feature of the night’s 14-race program. Sawgrass Farms’ Art Official will look to reach the $2 million threshold in career earnings with a victory for Seekman. The Art Major four-year-old will be challenged by a pair of I Scoot Hanover geldings. Shady Lane Meadows’ Robin I Scoot lines up third for trainer Dan Perdue while Freddyscooter, driven by Brad Hanners, will start from Post 4.
(Indiana Downs)