Two of Indiana’s finest, Gruesome Twosome and Lets Go Endofaera, staged late rallies to get their noses on the wire first during a stakes-filled card on Friday, Nov. 15 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Seven splits of the Star Destroyer were featured on the 14-race card for the four sophomore divisions, headlined by the $79,167 lone division for trotting colts. Gruesome Twosome (pictured above) left from post five in that field of nine as the 1-20 favourite, with driver Daryl Bontrager settling the bettors’ choice into fourth early while Dashing Danny (Kyle Wilfong) worked around 70-1 shot Flirtnwiththepilot (Marvin Luna) through a first quarter of :28. Bontrager thought better of a backside brush, opting to stay in fourth as Dashing Danny got to the half in :57.1.
The tempo quickened on the final turn, allowing Dashing Danny to scamper away by two lengths at three-quarters in 1:25.3 as Gruesome Twosome followed the cover of Victor Lazlo (John De Long) from second-over in fourth.
Victor Lazlo jumped it off at the top of the lane, as Gruesome Twosome found himself with a 5-1/2-length deficit to a duelling Dashing Danny and Flirtnwiththepilot midway through the stretch. Flirtnwiththepilot appeared poised to pull off a massive shocker before Gruesome Twosome found his best stride late, rocketing home in :27.2 to chase down the longshot and reach the wire first by a quarter of a length in 1:54. Dashing Danny held for the show spot.
Bontrager trains and co-owns Gruesome Twosome along with Ira Steinberg. A winner in 10 of 15 races this season, the son of You Know You Do-All Set Lets Go has more than $570,000 in seasonal earnings, with a career bankroll just shy of $800,000.
Lets Go Endofaera needed similar late race heroics to secure victory in a $41,667 division for pacing fillies. John De Long landed the 4-5 favourite in fourth early while Asweetbeachhere (Andy Miller) battled Daisys Star (LeWayne Miller) to the quarter in :27.2.
After the dust settled, Brandon Bates wheeled Seaside Diva to assume command from Daisys Star at the half in :55.3. Seaside Diva looked to give the field the slip on the final turn, opening up by three lengths at three-quarters in 1:24.1 while Lets Go Endofaera stalked from second-over in fifth.
Seaside Diva looked to be home free in the lane, before beginning to tire in deep stretch with Lets Go Endofaera gaining. Surging late with a :26.3 last quarter, Lets Go Endofaera snagged the victory by a neck from Seaside Diva in 1:51.4. Daisys Star finished third at 38-1.
A winner in 11 of her 14 starts this season, Lets Go Endofaera is trained by Tabby De Long. The Jesse De Long homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-Lets Go Higher is co-owned by John and William De Long, and newly minted Indiana Horse Racing Association Hall of Famer Brian Elmore. The victory brought Lets Go Endofaera’s seasonal earnings over $537,000 and pushed her lifetime bankroll over $822,000.
The other $41,667 division for pacing fillies was won by Donegal Spirit at 7-1. Driver Andy Miller gave the Andrew Harris trainee the pocket ride before fending off Zuma Beach (Kyle Wilfong) in the lane by a nose in 1:51.1. The fourth victory in 18 outings this season pushed the earnings of the daughter of Captaintreacherous over $150,000 this season for owners William Pollock, Bruce Areman and A Harris Racing.
In the $42,083 first division for trotting fillies, Woman Of Passion overcame the outside post seven to score in 1:55.1 as the even-money choice. Driven by Pete Wrenn, Woman Of Passion took command on the backstretch, before fending off the pocket-sitting Danger (Robert Taylor) by a quarter of a length on the line. A 10-time winner in 15 starts this season, the Carter Pinske-trained daughter of Walner has earned nearly $400,000 in 2024 for owner Al Libfeld, who bred Woman Of Passion with Marvin Katz.
Ohio Sire Stakes champion Sugar Instead utilized similar tactics to score in the $41,667 second division for trotting fillies. Kyle Wilfong got the call for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr., moving the 3-5 favourite to the lead on the backstretch, before holding Stella Volo (Pete Wrenn) at bay by a length to score in 1:54.4. The dominant daughter of Volstead secured the 20th victory of her career, having won 13 of 15 races this season for owners Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills. Sugar Instead sports a million-dollar bankroll with more than $700,000 earned this season.
Tellmeitmatters notched his first victory since Aug. 1, winning as the 2-5 favourite in the first of two $50,694 divisions for pacing colts. Going to work with his usual first-over grind, Tellmeitmatters and John De Long worked to the lead turning for home before digging in to fend off Noblesville (Brandon Bates) by a half length in 1:50.2. Roger Welch trains the William and Patrick De Long homebred son of Tellitlikeitis-Art Matters who has won seven of 13 starts this year, banking close to $340,000 in his sophomore campaign.
Stat That produced the biggest win price of the night, pulling an 18-1 shocker in a mad scramble to the wire in the other division for pacing colts. After sitting third throughout, driver LeWayne Miller split rivals in the lane with a :26.3 last quarter to reach the line a neck clear of a hard-charging Dale Yea (Marvin Luna) in 1:51. The victory was the second consecutive and third of the season in 20 starts for the son of Check Six-Rockin Songbird. Trained by Susan Miller for Derek Lehman, the homebred has earned nearly $150,000 in 2024.
The week of live racing concludes at Hoosier Park with a 12-race card on Saturday, Nov. 15. First post is 7 p.m.
(With files from Hoosier Park)