New Talent and Todd Warren found the winner’s circle for the second consecutive week at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, this time in the featured event of the evening a $21,000 Invitational Pace, on Friday, April 20. Slightly dismissed at the betting windows, New Talent turned in a gritty performance to hold off his rivals late in the lane to score in 1:50. The 1:50 clocking was a seasonal best mark for New Talent and also the fastest mile of the 2018 season through the first 13 nights of racing at Hoosier Park.
Leaving from post five in a talented field of seven, New Talent left alertly to grab a pocket seat behind the heavy betting favourite, Night Pro driven by Brandon Bates. Night Pro reached the first quarter in :26 but Peter Wrenn wanted a turn on the front and had Mojoto Hanover out and firing to grab the lead at the second station in a brisk :53.3.
Warren gave New Talent the green light approaching the final turn and he began his first-over journey to the front. As the field reached the three-quarter clocking in 1:21.1, New Talent was able to wear down Mojoto Hanover but Night Pro wasn’t going away. Utilizing a :28.1 final quarter, New Talent dug in gamely to prevail in a tight photo over Night Pro while the Dover Downs invader Never Say Never, driven by Trace Tetrick, also rallied late in the lane to get up for third place honours.
Trained by Jeff Cullipher, who also co-owns with Thomas Pollack, New Talent recorded his second win from just two starts this season. The five-year-old gelded son of Mach Three - You See LA has now won 16 of 52 lifetime outings while bankrolling $257,846. It was a good night at the office for the Warren-Cullipher combination as New Talent’s victory was one of three wins on the program for the duo. Incredible Shark was also victorious in a conditioned pace earlier in the evening and Castle Flight captured the last race of the night.
Live harness racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will continue on Saturday, April 21 with a 12-race card with an adjusted post time of 4:30 p.m. Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through November 10.
(Hoosier)