On a chilly night in Indiana, odds-on favourites were hot at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino as both of the heavy favourites delivered in Saturday’s $21,000 featured trot and pace.
Each of the featured events saw familiar faces in the winner’s circle as both races produced repeat winners from the previous week.
Freaky Feet Pete, the 2015 Breeders Crown Champion for three-year-old pacing colts, turned in another dominant performance to score his second consecutive Hoosier Park victory in the $21,000 Invitational Pace. With regular driver Trace Tetrick at the lines, Freaky Feet Pete stopped the timer in 1:50.2 over a sloppy rated track.
Using the same front-stepping tactics as the previous week, Freaky Feet Pete dictated first half fractions of :27.1 and :55.2 while Fearless Diablo and LeWayne Miller benefitted from a pocket trip. With the heavy betting favourite calling the shots on the front, the rest of the field remained in single file line down the backside.
Bluehourpower and Ricky Macomber, Jr. were the first to commit to the outer flow but Freaky Feet Pete began to inch away from the field with every stride. With a three-quarter clocking in 1:23, Freaky Feet Pete began to put his talent on display as the rest of the field struggled to stay within striking distance.
Freaky Feet Pete cruised to the wire under a hand drive from Tetrick finishing 6-1/2 lengths in front of Fearless Diablo. SF Donttellonme and Joey Casagranda used a late closing kick to round out the trifecta.
With the win, Freaky Feet Pete notched the second win of his four-year-old campaign and 26th career victory from 29 lifetime outings. The homebred son of Rockin Image-Skyway Lori has now earned $1,136,724 lifetime for his owners Mary Jo Rheinheimer and Marty Rheinheimer.
In much the same fashion on the trotting side of things, Hannelore Hanover and Ricky Macomber, Jr. extended their winning streak as they easily handled an abbreviated field of six in the $21,000 Invitational trot in 1:52.4 over a track rated good. Hannelore Hanover was unhurried from the gate and settled along the rail in third behind Churita and Trace Tetrick who reached the first quarter mark in :28. Macomber, Jr. gave Hannelore Hanover the green light down the backside and the Ron Burke trainee easily reached the front to dictate middle fractions of :57 and 1:24.4.
As the field turned for home, Hannelore Hanover was two lengths in front of her next closest competitor and used a :28 final panel to coast home three lengths to the good. Churita maintained her position to finish second while Rever Ever rallied nicely to finish third. As the heavy betting favourite, Hannelore Hanover returned $3.20 for the win.
The four-year-old daughter of Swan For All-High Sobriety notched her fourth consecutive victory and remains undefeated in four starts in 2016. Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and F. Baldachino, Hannelore Hanover has now amassed $345,324 lifetime.
(Hoosier Park)