Aqua Artist, driven by Tyler Smith, put forth a gate-to-wire winning effort in the featured $24,000 Fillies and Mares Invitational Friday at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino
. The duo tripped the timer in 1:53.1.
A late scratch reduced the field to eight starters behind the starting gate and Tyler Smith gave the five-year-old mare the go ahead to leave. Aqua Artist left alertly from post five just as quickly as Josh Sutton and Hoponit left from post seven in an opening panel of :28. Aqua Artist yielded to Hoponit, but wasn't content to sit long as he retook the lead just after the first quarter and reached the half in :56.1.
Go On BB, Indiana’s first millionaire mare, and driver Ricky Macomber were fourth along the rail. The field finally began to shift through the three-quarters in 1:23.3 as Smith asked the Artsplace-Aquatic Yankee miss for more. She responded with a final quarter in :29.3 to hold off the hard-charging Go On BB, who missed the win by a head. Hoponit held on for the third place finish.
Trained by Steve Bauder, Aqua Artist now has 14 career wins and four wins on the season. She has now bankrolled over $170,000 for her connections of Harold Lee Bauder, Michael Dixon, and Harold L. Bauder. Aqua Artist now has over $30,000 in earnings for 2012 as she spent the early part of the season racing in the Open mare ranks on the Chicago circuit.
The win for Smith was one of two on the card. Smith is currently in fifth place in the driver standings with nine wins through the first two weeks of racing. The native of Ohio is in his second season at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
(With files from Hoosier Park)