Prior to the Friday, Feb. 27 card being cut short after the evening’s sixth race, Harrah’s Hoosier Park contested a pair of $30,137 Opens with Famous Father delivering a shocker in the Open Trot, while Buzzsaw Russ stayed hot as the heavy favourite in the Open Handicap Pace.
In his first start of the season at 36-1 odds, Famous Father was victorious over stablemate Flagman in 1:53.3 for driver Luke Plano and trainer Rick Plano.
Famous Father left alertly from post four getting away in third position while even-money favourite Dover In Motion (Ricky Macomber Jr.) trotted around Flagman (Rick Plano) to cut the opening quarter in :27.4. Dover In Motion continued to lead on the backstretch, reaching the halfway point in :56.2 before trotting to three-quarters in 1:25.2 while the Plano trainees began to tip from second and third.
In the stretch, Flagman grabbed command from Dover In Motion before his stablemate ripped off his cover midway through the lane. Blitzing home in :27.4, Famous Father powered clear to the lead, opening up by three lengths on the wire. Flagman held for second, with Drink Up Drink Up (Brandon Bates) skirting up the pylons for third.
The victorious seven-year-old gelded son of Father Patrick-Hollywood Hill is owned by Maryann Plano of Anderson, Indiana and Bruce Soulsby of Powell, Ohio. Famous Father now sports career earnings of $584,690 following his 27th career victory.
Famous Father paid $74.80 to win.
Buzzsaw Russ and driver John De Long combined for a second straight Open win at Hoosier, scoring in 1:51 for trainer Missy Essig.
Starting from post five, Buzzsaw Russ got away fourth through the first-quarter turn in :27.4 while General Dolan (Trace Tetrick) set the pace followed closely behind by Noblesville (Marcus Miller). General Dolan still led at the half in :56.3 while Buzzsaw Russ made a first-over move into third.
General Dolan started to face pressure arriving at the three-quarter pole in 1:24.2. Moving down the stretch in :26.2, Buzzsaw Russ raced past Noblesville and General Dolan on the outside to win by 2-1/4 lengths. Ardens Ace N (Lewayne Miller) rallied on the outside to get up for second, with Noblesville holding sway for the third spot.
Now two-for-two to begin his six-year-old campaign, 18-time career winner Buzzzaw Russ is approaching the million-dollar mark in lifetime earnings for Indiana owners Russell Beeman of Anderson and Charles Weaver of Marion.
The Rockin Image-Up Front Cruiser gelding paid $2.40 to win as the favourite.
With the win, De Long added his third victory on the night after previously winning the first two races of the Friday card with Charlie Stewart trainees Captain Taylor ($3.60) and Imalwaysclassy ($9.40).
Fourteen races were scheduled but the card was cut short after race six due to technical difficulties with the broadcast program.
Live harness racing at Hoosier is scheduled to resume on Thursday, March 5 with a first post of 5:30 p.m.
(With files from Hoosier Park; photo of Buzzsaw Russ winning on Feb. 27)