Three-year-old filly Royal Passion continued her undefeated streak Tuesday, April 17 at Hoosier Park, as she captured a division of the Bill Thompson Series in a career-best-equalling 1:56
.
After having left from Post 7, the Trace Tetrick-driven Royal Passion paced to the lead early before working out a two-hole trip. After a pair of other lasses finished slugging it out in front of her, Royal Passion, a Royal Art bay, kicked home in :27.3 to post a two-length victory.
“She really surprised me tonight,” noted her trainer, Rod Lorenzo. “She keeps getting better with every start. We wanted to try racing her off the helmet tonight and it didn’t look that was going to happen. It worked out for us and she fired even more on the end of it. I was really happy with her tonight.”
Lorenzo, who trained the filly last year, said she was sick for a majority of her two-year-old season and suggested turning her out to let her mature. As it turns out, that decision was the right one.
Jodi Girl was victorious in the other $15,000 opening leg of the series with driver Sam Widger in her three-year-old debut. It was an uncovered move for Jodi Girl as she was able to wear down Bittersweet Best (driven by Pete Wrenn) in late stretch to best her rivals in 1:56.4.
Sam Widger, who is second in the driver standings through the first few weeks of racing at Hoosier, had four wins on the night’s card.
(With files from Hoosier)