Master Punch and trainer/driver Don Eash delivered a knockout blow to the field in the $17,000 final of the Jerry Landess Series on Thursday evening
at Hoosier Park.
The lightly-raced, three-year-old son of Pilgrims Punch stopped the teletimer in 1:55.4 to remain undefeated in three career starts.
Master Punch blasted to the lead and threw down fractions of :27.4, :59.2 and 1:28.1 before unleashing a :27.3 final quarter to seal the deal in 1:55.4. Master Regan’s late rush fell short by a quarter of a length. Master Punch’s stablemate and entrymate, React Ingoodway, tagged along to finish third.
"He (Master Punch) doesn't really go unless you chase him," said Eash. "I had to keep after him from the half on. When he saw that horse (Master Regan) come up beside him, he knocked back into gear again. He's still not sure what he should be doing on the track and is still figuring out what is going on. He's always looking at what's going on around him instead of paying attention. I think he will learn a lot if I can get him in the center of the pack sometime in a race. He has the speed, he just needs some racing experience."
Master Punch now has more than $16,000 in career earnings after being unraced at two. The final time of 1:55.4 is a new lifetime mark for the Indiana-sired gelding, who is owned by Eash Racing Stable of Greenfield, IN.
"This is nice to get a good start for the year," said Eash, who has earned 13 wins in the first 13 nights of action to lead the trainer standings. "The past few seasons, we have been cold getting started, so this is a nice change of pace. We really haven't done anything different this year. The horses get out every day. I just think the horses we have this year are a little better quality and feel they are living up to what we thought they can do."
Eash earned three consecutive leading trainer titles at Hoosier Park from 2002 through 2004. He remains among the top three trainers in the history of the track for wins.
(With files from Hoosier Park)