Royal Outlook, guided by Peter Wrenn, turned in a sharp, gate-to-wire performance to take home top honours in the featured event of the evening, the $22,000 Jarrod Duncan Memorial Pace, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, April 5.
With a final time of 1:52.3, Royal Outlook was able to control the tempo throughout the race to score his fifth win of the season.
Leaving from post five, Wrenn left no room for error and sent Royal Outlook to the front as soon as the gate folded. The six-year-old gelded son of Royal Mattjesty-Fresh Outlook seemed to relax on the front and was able to dictate fractions of :56.1 and 1:24.4 before turning for home.
Wilburs Z Tam and LeWayne Miller tipped from the pocket as the field turned for home, but were no match for top pair. As the rest of the field closed in, Royal Outlook found another gear and paced on to the wire with a :27.4 final quarter to win by a length.
Lucky Jet and Jason Dillander staged a rally late in the lane to get up for the second-place finish while Nitro and Ricky Macomber Jr. rounded out the trifecta. As the public's second choice, Royal Outlook returned $7.40 for the victory.
Trained by Terry Deters, Royal Outlook has now won five of seven starts in 2013 while earning $34,635. Royal Outlook pushed his career bankroll over the $300,000 mark for his owner, David Hudson.
The race was held in honour of the late Jarrod Duncan, who tragically passed away in March. Duncan began training in 2005 and had since garnered 254 victories and amassed over $1,238,111 in purse earnings. Duncan trained horses throughout the Midwest and was among the top trainers at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in the 2013 live racing season. Duncans’ family and friends gathered on the racetrack to remember their special friend.
(Hoosier Park)