Nijinsky proved to be a in a league of his own on Friday, Nov. 1 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, scoring decisively in the $250,000 Monument Circle, which highlighted the 13-race card. Additionally, T C I rebounded from a strong second-place effort last weekend in the Breeders Crown, cruising in the $243,056 Carl Erskine Memorial for sophomore trotting colts.
With regular pilot Louis-Philippe Roy in tow, Nijinsky was sent away as the 1-20 favourite from post three in the field of 10 for the evening’s feature. Roy guided the Anthony Beaton trainee into fourth off the gate while Solid Character (Dave Miller) blitzed to the lead through a first quarter of :25.3.
Roy’s hand was forced on the backstretch, tipping from fourth before a parked out Stat That (LeWayne Miller) fired three-deep around the bettors’ choice and drove to the front at odds of 93-1 to the half in :54. Left first-over entering the turn, Nijinsky brushed to the lead around the longshot before opening up by 3-1/2 lengths at three-quarters in 1:22.1.
With Roy keeping the pedal down and Stat That faltering in the pocket, the lead expanded to seven lengths midway through the lane for Nijinsky. With his pursuers well back in deep stretch, Nijinsky coasted home a winner by 5-1/4 lengths to stop the clock in 1:48.4. Tellmeitmatters (John De Long) rallied for the place spot and Miki Ray (Pete Wrenn) picked up show dough at 175-1.
The 1:48.4 clocking was just a fifth of a second off the stakes record of 1:48.3, established by Downbytheseaside in 2017 and since matched by Cattlewash (2020) and Bulldog Hanover (2021).
Nijinsky (pictured above) has won 11 of 15 starts this season, earning the bulk of his $1.66 million bankroll for owners West Wins Stable, John Fielding and Mark Dumain. The son of Bettors Delight-Pirouette Hanover, who was bred by Jeffrey Snyder, continues to add to a three-year-old resume that includes victories in the North America Cup, Simcoe Stakes and Ontario Sires Stakes Super Final.
Earlier on the card, T C I held up his end of the bargain as the 1-5 favourite in the Carl Erskine, emerging atop a skirmish with Indiana champion Gruesome Twosome and Ontario champion Paquet.
T C I left alertly with driver Dave Miller, grabbing the pocket seat behind Paquet (Jody Jamieson) to the first quarter in :27.3. Miller moved T C I to the lead briefly on the backstretch before Gruesome Twosome (Daryl Bontrager) tipped from third to take command to the half in :56.3. The field of six trotted to the far turn with all three of the favourites having taken their turn on the lead, with Gruesome Twosome leading to three-quarters in 1:25.2.
At the top of the lane, Paquet moved back into contention first-over as Gruesome Twosome drifted off of the rail, providing daylight for T C I. Gruesome Twosome battle valiantly on the lead before T C I surged up the cones in :27.1 to power to victory by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.4. Gruesome Twosome held for second and Paquet finished third.
It was announced in the winner’s circle following the race that the Ron Burke-trained T C I will join the Midland Acres stallion roster in Ohio for 2025.
An O'Brien Award winner as a two-year-old, the son of Cantab Hall-Nicoles Promise has won seven of 13 in his sophomore season, earning $815,143 on the year and more $2.26 million in his career for owners Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi.
Miller and Burke teamed up to take the filly counterpart as well on the night, winning the $152,778 Crossroads of America for sophomore trotting fillies with Sister Mary Maude.
Leaving from the outside post six as the 3-5 favourite, Miller wasted no time getting Sister Mary Maude to the front through an opening quarter of :26.3. With the second choice, Danger (Robert Taylor), on the Miller helmet, Sister Mary Maude led to the half in :55.2 before beginning to open up at three-quarters in 1:24.4. From there, Sister Mary Maude asserted her dominance in the lane, trotting clear to a four-length victory in 1:53. Danger finished in a dead-heat for the place position with 26-1 shot Bonn (Jordan Ross).
The daughter of Crazy Wow-Perfect Mass has won four of 15 on the season, hitting the board in all but one of those efforts for owners Burke Racing Stable, William Switala, James Martin and Weaver Bruscemi. The effort was a career best for Sister Mary Maude, who sports seasonal earnings over half a million dollars and career earnings totalling $632,586.
Like Miller, Roy tacked on the $138,889 USS Indianapolis Memorial for three-year-old pacing fillies to his haul, scoring with Odds On Platinum.
Leaving from the rail, Roy hustled Odds On Platinum into the first turn, leading to a scorching first-quarter of :25.4 to the inside of Seaside Diva (Chris Page). Seaside Diva crossed over to the lead on the backstretch, leading to the half in :54.3 before being challenged by stablemate Pass Line (Dave Miller) to three-quarters in 1:23.3. Odds On Platinum waited patiently for the passing lane in the stretch before surging to the lead, crossing the wire first by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:51.1. Teelatini (Trace Tetrick) closed from last at the top of the stretch to be second and Lets Go Endofaera (John De Long) navigated stretch traffic to be third.
Dr. Ian Moore trains Odds On Platinum for owners Let It Ride Stables and Odds On Racing. The royally bred millionaire daughter of Bettors Delight-American Jewel has won seven of 19 races and earned $751,389 this year.
Earlier on the card, millionaire pacer Little Rocket Man paced to his 13th victory of the season, taking the $29,167 Open in 1:50.1 on the front-end as one of four wins on the night for Miller. Ken Rucker trains the 67-time career winner for owners Russ Beeman and Boomer Freeman.
Live harness racing continues at Hoosier Park on Saturday, Nov. 2 with a 12-race card set to get underway at 7 p.m. The Saturday card features a carryover of $38,731.76 in the Jackpot Pick 6 (Races 7-12).
(With files from Hoosier Park)