Just one week after hosting the 37th edition of the Breeders Crown, Grand Circuit racing action was back in the spotlight at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, Nov. 6 as some of the sport’s brightest stars ventured back to Hoosier Park for the final night of Grand Circuit racing this season.
The evening’s 13-race card was highlighted by the $160,000 Monument Circle Pace for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, the $140,000 Carl Erskine Trot for three-year-old colt trotters, the $100,000 Crossroads of America for three-year-old filly trotters and the $100,000 USS Indianapolis Memorial for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Trainer Nancy Takter teamed up with driver Dexter Dunn for two stakes winners on the evening’s program as the duo first found the winner’s circle with JK First Lady in the $100,000 USS Indianapolis Memorial.
JK First Lady was able to overcome a first-over trip to wear down her stablemate and the heavily favoured Breeders Crown champion Peaky Sneaky and Yannick Gingras to get the victory in 1:49.1, equaling her lifetime mark.
“She has such a beautiful gait, she makes it look easy,” Takter noted of her filly. “She’s definitely fresh which helps a lot at this point in the season.”
JK First Lady has now won five of 13 outings this season while pushing her lifetime bankroll to $695,731. The homebred daughter of Western Ideal—Jk Shesalady is owned by the 3 Brothers Stables.
Takter and Dunn were back in the winner’s circle in the very next stakes race on the program, the $100,000 Crossroads of America for three-year-old trotting fillies, after a decisive victory from Spoiled Princess. Sent off as the 6-5 favourite, Spoiled Princess rallied off cover and was able to hold off a late surge from May Baby and James Yoder to get the win by a length and a half in 1:52.2.
“Last week [in the Breeders Crown] she lost a bit of her momentum in the last turn,” Takter said. “We made some equipment adjustments this week and she was much better. She’s definitely in great shape and came to me in great shape but she’s been particularly sharp these past couple weeks.”
The daughter of Trixton—Fashion Spooner recorded her sixth win from 14 seasonal starts. Owned by Black Horse Racing and Christina Takter, Spoiled Princess has now amassed $226,136 in lifetime purse earnings.
After a narrow miss in the $500,000 Breeders Crown final for three-year-old trotting colts last week, Play Trix On Me and driver Joe Bongiorno were out for a redemption victory and got it in the $140,000 Carl Erskine Trot in 1:53.
Using similar tactics as his previous two efforts at Hoosier Park, Bongiorno sent Play Trix On Me away from the gate for position. Play Trix On Me reached the front through the opening panel in :26.4 before yielding the lead to Ready For Moni and Yannick Gingras. Ready For Moni lead the field through splits of :56 and 1:25.1 and when the field turned for home, the race appeared to be wide open. Play Trix On Me found late racing room up the inside and utilized a :27.2 closing quarter to the get the win over Its Academic and Chris Page.
“He raced so good last week,” said Bongiorno of the colt’s Breeders Crown second-place effort despite the heart-breaking loss by a nose to Amigo Volo. “I was really confident with him tonight and he has such good gate speed that he can put himself in the race anywhere and I think he’s such a useful horse.
“I just got really lucky to pick the drive up. I look back at his lines and this horse has been good all year, he just hasn’t gotten lucky and won one of these big races, but he’s been right on the wire a bunch of times. I love the horse, he drives really nice and, like I said, he’s so handy, he can get off the car so good.”
Trained by Linda Toscano, Play Trix On Me is owned by Renee Spahr. The son of Trixton—Lima Playmate recorded his fourth win of the season from 14 starts. Play Trix On Me now sports a lifetime bankroll of $242,971.
In the final stakes race of the evening, world champion and co-track record holder Cattlewash was back in the Hoosier Park winner’s circle after an authoritative score in the $160,000 Monument Circle Pace for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. With regular pilot David Miller in the bike, Cattlewash utilized his customary front-running tactics to win by two lengths and stop the timer in 1:48.3.
Tattoo Artist and Joe Bongiorno set the hot early tempo of :25.4 before Miller gave Cattlewash the green light down the backside. Cattlewash rattled off fractions of :54.1 and 1:21.4 before pacing home in :26.4 to get the victory over stablemate Elver Hanover and driver Chris Page. Catch The Fire and Mike Wilder rallied well late to round out the trifecta.
Sent off as the 3-5 favourite, Cattlewash returned $3.40 for the victory.
“The trip worked out well for us tonight,” said Miller. "Tattoo Artist left pretty hard and I’m pretty sure he was just trying to seat everybody. I actually got to sit in around the first turn then moved him back and he relaxed really nice and when the first horse came to him, he swelled right up.
“He definitely races his best race on the front. I have been with him out of a hole but he’s much more game on the lead. He’s a big strong, horse and tonight he seemed as good as he’s been all year.”
Trained by Ron Burke, the son of Somebeachsomewhere—Road Bet was bred and is owned by W J Donovan. Cattlewash has now won 5 of 14 seasonal starts while earning $709,977 lifetime.
(With files from Hoosier Park)
David Miller has worked
David Miller has worked wonders with Cattlewash. It's hard to believe that this is the same horse which was held out of both The Meadowlands Pace and The NAC because he just wasn't getting it done. I think he'll be the top 4yo to return in 2021.