Sabonis stole the show on Friday, April 19 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, steamrolling to a series sweep of the Mark Fransen Memorial. Entering the night perfect through two starts in his three-year-old campaign, Sabonis delivered a convincing victory as the heavy 1-9 favourite in the $27,397 series final.
Leaving from post four, driver Joey Putnam settled Sabonis (pictured above) in sixth in the early stages as Endofstory and John De Long found the front through an opening quarter of :26.3. Wheres Drogon and Kyle Wilfong moved from fourth to clear to the lead up the backstretch before the half in :55.4. Putnam angled Sabonis into the outer flow, moving third-over into the final turn as Wheres Drogon slipped away by four lengths on the lead at three-quarters in 1:23. Sabonis spotted the leader seven lengths at three-quarters before uncorking a vicious :25.3 stretch rally, tracking down Wheres Drogon and powering away by 5-3/4 lengths to the wire in 1:50. Wheres Drogon held for place while So Into You and Atlee Bender rallied for the third spot.
The 1:50 clocking was a career best for Sabonis, who is now perfect in three seasonal outings for trainer Aaron Stutzman. The three-year-old son of Tellitlikeitis-Gypsy Bellevue was bred by Karl Dean Miller and has banked $39,791 from five lifetime starts for owner Pat Miller.
The Franksen Memorial Series was for pacers that were non-winners of two races or $41,096 lifetime.
Earlier on the card, Shooting In Place completed a series sweep of the Jerry Landess Memorial for pacers that are non-winners of one race or $11,644 lifetime.
Sent off as the even-money favourite from post three in the $27,397 final, driver Marvin Luna landed Shooting In Place in fifth as Jackie Boy (Michael Oosting) battled to the outside JBS Cuppa Jo (Marvin Luna) through a first quarter of :27.2. Jackie Boy cleared up the backstretch but was immediately covered up by Captain Tell and Kyle Wilfong. A revved up JBS Cuppa Jo could sit no longer as Luna was forced to move from third and pressure Captain Tell to the half in :55.1. Captain Tell continued to lead to three-quarters in 1:24.3 as Shooting In Place ranged into position second-over. Shooting In Place tipped off over and took aim on Captain Tell, who proved to be strong on the lead. Charging home in :27.1, Shooting In Place surged to nail a stubborn Captain Tell by a half-length in 1:52.1. Jackie Boy rounded out the top three.
John Barnard’s homebred three-year-old son of Straight Shooting-Ryleighs Lilly is unblemished through three outings in 2024. The Luis Quevedo trainee pushed his career bankroll to $31,938 with the lifetime-best victory in his sixth start.
Racing concludes for the week on Saturday, April 20 with a 12-race card set to get underway at 7 p.m. The Saturday card will feature a carryover of $14,423.67 in the Jackpot Pick 6 (Races 7-12) as well as the five-year-old debut of millionaire M Ms Dream in the Open Trot, which will serve as Race 11 on the card.
(With files from Hoosier Park)