Pacing fillies and mares took center stage on Thursday, April 18 with a pair of $27,397 series finals highlighting the 14-race card at Hoosier Park. Seven It Is and Staying With Emily scored in their respective series finals for the Miss Windfall and Kenneth Stohler Memorial.
The Miss Windfall for filly and mare pacers who were non-winners of one pari-mutuel race or $11,644 lifetime served as the evening’s eighth race in which Seven It Is delivered as the 4-5 favourite. Leaving from post two, driver John De Long settled Seven It Is into the third position as Odds On Freeroll and Pete Wrenn found themselves parked to the outside of Straight Escape and Marvin Luna through a :27.2 opening quarter. Odds On Freeroll cleared on the backstretch to lead to the halfway point in :57.2 while De Long gave Seven It Is her cue from third to begin the march first-over into second. Seven It Is reached the leader's wheel on the far turn as the leaders duelled to three-quarters in 1:25.3. Odds On Freeroll kicked clear by 1-1/2 lengths at the top of the lane, while Seven It Is seemingly stalled before finding more and laying down a :27.1 final quarter to nail Odds On Freeroll by a quarter-length in 1:53. Grand Circuit and LeWayne Miller rallied for the third position.
The victory was the third in as many starts in 2024 for the Jay Hochstetler trainee. The four-year-old homebred daughter of Luck Be Withyou-Pinball Machine has now banked $35,123 for owner Jacob Graber.
Staying With Emily pulled the 8-1 upset victory in the Kenneth Stohler Memorial for pacing fillies and mares that were non-winners of two races. Leaving from post seven, driver Brandon Bates was aggressive off the gate with Staying With Emily, powering to the front-end through a blistering :26.2 first-quarter. How Much and Devon Tharps popped the pocket on her Ron Burke stablemate to take command before the half in :54.4. Immediate pressure came to How Much on the lead on the far turn as the even-money favourite, Real Deal Lindy and Atlee Bender, rolled to the leader’s wheel at three-quarters in 1:24. Staying With Emily swelled with pace in the pocket before taking her shot up the passing lane and uncorking a :27.3 final quarter to take command in deep stretch and score the victory in 1:52. Northern Luckygirl and Kyle Wilfong slipped up the rail for second, three-quarters of a length behind Staying With Emily, and Real Deal Lindy held for third.
Staying With Emily notched her first victory of 2024 in her second start of her three-year-old campaign. Owned by Brad Grant, the homebred daughter of Stay Hungry-Yoselin Seelster has now racked up $44,486 in career earnings.
Racing continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, April 19 with a 14-race card highlighted by the $20,000 USD Jerry Landess and Mark Fransen Memorial. The Friday night card will also feature a $12,536.96 carryover in the Jackpot Pick Six (Races 8-13) and a $10,000 guaranteed pool in the Hoosier High 5 (Race 14). First post for the Friday card is 6:15 p.m.
(Hoosier Park)