Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to a stakes filled card on Friday and showcased a preview of what to expect for next week’s Hoosier Champions Night.
Two divisions for the sophomore pacers of both sexes highlighted the evening’s 14-race card as they brought the curtain down and completed the eighth and final round of their preliminary Indiana Sires Stakes action. All of the evening’s winners stamped their tickets to compete for next week’s season culminating $2 million Hoosier Champions Night on Friday, October 11.
Trainer Melissa Essig sent two horses postward and scored a training double in stakes action on the evening. Shamwow and LeWayne Miller utilized their customary late rally to best their rivals and take the first $48,500 division for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Stopping the timer in 1:50, Shamwow used the long Hoosier Park stretch to his advantage and an impressive :25 closing kick to track down Tellmeaboutit and Michael Oosting steps before the wire.
“We wanted to race him off the pace again,” Miller noted about the colt’s trip. “He’s extremely quick. He has a really quick turn of foot and they have done a great job teaching him to race and how to use his speed. He’s really sharp right now.”
Unraced as a two-year-old, the homebred son of Always A Virgin-Bolero Takara notched his sixth win from nine starts this season. Owned by Cornerstone Stock Farm, Shamwow has yet to finish worse than second in his young career and now sports a lifetime bankroll of $121,125.
Team Essig would find the winner’s circle just a few races later after the heavily favoured Little Rocket Man and Trace Tetrick arrived late on the scene to score in 1:49.4 in their split of the stakes action for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. After sitting last for much of the mile, Tetrick waited to make his move and when he did Little Rocket Man went from last to first with a :26 final quarter to get the win.
Also unraced as a two-year-old, Little Rocket Man has made up for lost times at three. With 16 lifetime starts, the gelded son of Rockin Image-GT Miss Royal owns a 16-11-1-1 record. Little Rocket Man has now earned $170,380 in lifetime purse earnings for Russell Beeman and Jack Freeman.
The Hoosier state’s top three-year-old pacing fillies turned in impressive performances of their own as they squared off in two $48,500 divisions. Divisional leader Fully A Virgin continued her winning ways and scored in the first split with Mike Oosting in the bike. Stopping the timer in 1:50.2, Fully A Virgin powered past her tiring rivals and held off all challengers late in the lane to get the win by nearly two lengths.
“She’s so laid back and easy on herself all the time, I think that’s why she is so fresh and sound at this point in the season,” trainer Shane Bowermaster noted after the win. “That, and the fact that Mike (Oosting) has driven her absolutely flawless every single start for me— I owe a lot to Mike for taking care of her and now I can really do my job and make sure she is ready to go for next week.”
With the win, Fully A Virgin improved her record to 15-7-4-2 this season. Owned and bred by Emerald Highlands Farm, the daughter of Always A Virgin-Full Of Gold pushed her lifetime purse earnings to $229,680.
After it appeared it was going to be a night for favourites, This Peach Rocks and Ross Leonard pulled off the slight upset in the second division of the stakes action for three-year-old pacing fillies. Leonard wasted no time and sent This Peach Rocks to the front from post one and she made every call a winning one, scoring in 1:51.2.
Leonard also trains the daughter of Rockin Image-Peachy Yankee who recorded her fourth win of the season from 20 trips behind the gate. Owned and bred by Victory Hill Farm, This Peach Rocks pushed her lifetime purse earnings over the $100,000 mark with the win.
All of the evening’s winners will return and compete for divisional honours next Friday at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The top ten point earners from each division will be showcased in the $250,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Finals. Taking on a new format for the 2019 season, the $250,000 Super Finals will mark the richest offering of Indiana Sires Stakes Finals ever contested at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The fields and post positions for the Super Finals will be drawn on Tuesday, October 8.
(Hoosier Park)