On To Norway extended his win streak 20 as the sophomore trotting gelding crushed his competition in the $59,155 Catholic Cowboy Stakes at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, Nov. 7 with John De Long driving for trainer Ron Burke.
Away from post five, On To Norway got aggressive off the gate, racing to the outside of the leading Eugene The Genius (Pete Wrenn) through a :27.2 opening quarter. On To Norway cleared on the backstretch before Operator (Kyle Wilfong) trotted around to the lead, reaching the halfway point in :56.2. On To Norway was flushed from the pocket moving into the final turn, then trotted alongside Operator and grabbed a short lead at three-quarters in 1:25.3. On To Norway put away Operator at the top of the lane, opening up in a :27.2 final quarter to win by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:53. Operator held for second, with Karinchak (Jordan Ross) rallying for third at 40-1.
On To Norway paid $2.10 to win as the overwhelming favourite coming off a victory in the Carl Erskine. The gelded son of Muscle Massive-One Class Act has not tasted defeat since his three-year-old debut when he was second on April 3. On To Norway has raced exclusively in Indiana this year and pushed his seasonal bankroll to $782,281 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, Black & White Stable and Michael Rosenthal.
John De Long returned to the winner’s circle after the $29,577 first division of the Catholic Cowboy for three-year-old trotting fillies with Aunt Laura ($8.20), who led wire-to-wire for the 1:56 win by a length. Virgil Morgan Jr. trains the daughter of Uncle Peter-Tori Ann for Joyce A McClelland Stable. Aunt Laura has won five of 17 starts on the year, banking just over $235,000. Made Of Dreams (Trace Tetrick), the favourite, edged out Sweetasmoni (Michael Oosting) for second.
The $29,155 second division for trotting fillies went to Glutes Hanover ($5.80) and Trace Tetrick in 1:55 by a length over odds-on favourite Miracle Maven (John De Long) and Mega Money (Marcus Miller). Tony Alagna trains and owns the Six Pack-Girlie Tough filly, who has won four of her 13 races in her debut season for earnings of $66,775.
John De Long teamed up with wife Tabby as Canttouchthese ($8.20) took the lone $60,563 division for three-year-old pacing fillies, going first-over to score in 1:51.2 by a length over bettors' choice Sent It Down Slim (Jordan Ross), with Westwinds (Trace Tetrick) third. Owned by William De Long, Patrick De Long and Douglas Riccolo, the homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-Cant Touch This is now eight-for-18 on the year and went over $300,000 in seasonal earnings.
Chandler Bing ($7.60) closed out the stakes action by taking the $69,014 Catholic Cowboy split for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings on the front-end in 1:50.4 by three-quarters of a length over favoured Extra Suds (John De Long), with Wild Bill Wyatt (Michael Oosting) third. Jay Cross drove the Tellitlikeitis-Northern Beauty gelding, who won for the fifth time in 11 starts this year. Chandler Bing has earned $181,298 in his sophomore campaign for trainer Alvin Miller and co-owner Twila Harts.
The week of racing concludes at Hoosier Park with a nine-race program on Saturday, Nov. 8, with a first post of 5:30 p.m. The card gets underway with a $1,685 carryover in the Pick 5 in races one through five..
(With files from Hoosier Park)