Aqua Artist and driver Trace Tetrick seized an opportunity in late stretch to upset the featured $24,000 Fillies and Mares Invitational Pace at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday
Neither the unfavourable weather conditions nor outside post seemed to hinder the six-year-old daughter of Artsplace as she posted her fifth win of the season.
Starting from post seven in the eight-horse line-up, Tetrick sent the mare out alertly, but Pete Wrenn had the same idea with the heavily favoured Betterluvnexttime. Aqua Artist reached the top spot through a first quarter clocking in :26.3.
With a two-race win streak on the line, Betterluvnexttime and Wrenn opted out of a the pocket trip and pressed on to the front through the half mile time in :54.3. Aqua Artist waited patiently in second while Winning It and Ed Hensley followed intently in third down the backside.
As the field brushed by the three-quarter mark in 1:24.4, Ricky Macomber Jr. and Gold Star Gidget were out and taking aim at the leader. Betterluvnexttime battled gamely to put away Gold Star Gidget, but was unable to hold off the pocket-sitting Aqua Artist. Tetrick found racing room just as Aqua Artist found a :29.1 final quarter to win in 1:54.1. Betterluvnexttime held on for the second-place finish as Continual Velocity rallied from off the pace to finish third for Trent Stohler. Aqua Artist returned $14.20 for the victory.
“This mare has raced tough every time I have driven her,” Tetrick noted. “It seemed like front end speed was holding up tonight so I knew I wanted to leave for position. We were able to find room down the lane and she paced all the way to the wire. She raced really tough tonight with the weather against this group of really nice mares.”
Trained by Steve Bauder, the six-year-old mare notched her 21st career win as she pushed her career earnings over $250,000 for the partnership of Harold Lee Bauder, Michael Dixon, and Harold L. Bauder, who also bred the mare. Aqua Artist set a career-best mark of 1:51.3 last year over Balmoral Park’s surface. With over $40,000 amassed this season, Aqua Artist has hit the board in seven of 10 outings.
(With files from Hoosier Park)