Four divisions of freshman filly pacers went to the post Monday, October 3 in the second round of Indiana Sires Stakes action at Indiana Downs. The quartet of $40,000 events were highly competitive, producing three first-time ISS winners led by 1:55 performer American Girl.
Starting from the rail in the last of the four splits, American Girl and Peter Wrenn flawlessly worked out a pocket trip behind favorite Insatiable Desire early in the mile. Sitting through fractions of :28 and :59, the Arts Chip-L Dees Lourdes filly found racing room in the stretch and paced home in :27.4 to win by a quarter length over the closing Arts Chip N Gail. Roberts Ideal finished third, while early leader Insatiable Desire faded to last.
A product of the Michigan-based Gardner Farms, American Girl is owned by Darla Gaskin and Stan Rosenblatt. The filly is trained by Ernie Gaskin. American Girl has now won three of 10 seasonal starts, earning $60,650. The winning time shaved more than a second off her previous best.
First up in third turning for home, Ccruby Copperstone took command in the stretch and hit the wire one and one-quarter lengths in front of Misschipbyart to take the $40,000 first division in 1:55.1. The victory was the second consecutive in Indiana Sires Stakes action for the LCB-Precious Prize filly, sent off as the favourite by bettors. Jason Dillander steered the freshman for trainer Dick Macomber.
Bred by L.J. Stone and Phillip Hawk, Ccruby Copperstone is owned by Tanah Merah Farms. Three times a winner this season in three starts, the two year old has accumulated $65,650 in earnings.
Fsolatdo Bluegrass picked up her first Indiana Sires Stakes victory in dominating fashion Monday, winning the second $40,000 split with a wire-to-wire effort. Guided by Dave Magee, the filly stopped the clock in 1:56.2, half a length ahead of Gd Collette. Trained by Ronnie Guhy, Fsolatdo Bluegrass was tabbed the favorite.
A homebred from Dr. Luel Overstreet’s Bluegrass Farm, Fsolatdo Bluegrass is a Dontgetinmyway filly out of Indiana Sires Stakes final winner Faithill Bluegrass. The freshman has earned three wins in nine seasonal starts, with $56,700 in earnings on her card.
Lima Calliope provided the biggest upset of the night, winning the third division from off the pace for driver Ricky Macomber. Four deep turning for home, the Kilowatt-Caesars Artist freshman, 12-1 on the board, paced home fastest of them all with a :28.1 last quarter to win by a quarter length over 25-1 Dont Hurry Love in 1:55.1. Favourite and leader Miss Millie finished fifth.
Owned by John Barnard and trained by William Crone, Lima Calliope scored her second seasonal win. Lowering her previous best by nearly two full seconds, the Steiner Stock Farm-bred filly has earned $37,940.
(Indiana Downs)