Sophomore trotters took center stage on Friday, May 17 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with a pair of $34,247 series finals highlighting the 14-race card. Agent Of Fortune completed a clean sweep of the Msnaughtybynature Series while Helpem Dance shook loose late to claim the Expresson Series, each for non-winners of two races.
The Msnaughtybynature for the fillies and mares served as the eighth race on the card, with Agent Of Fortune sent off as the 1-5 favourite from post four. Trainer/driver Robert Taylor settled Agent Of Fortune in the third position off the gate while Ponda Aesthetic (Jordan Ross) worked hard to clear Swan So Fine (Marvin Luna) for the lead just beyond the first quarter of :28.2.
Taylor gave Agent Of Fortune her cue on the backstretch to quickly take command of the field before reaching the halfway point in :57.1. Agent Of Fortune began to separate herself from the field on the final turn, stretching her lead to 2-1/2 lengths at three-quarters in 1:26, while Swan So Fine ranged first-over into second.
Turning for home, Swan So Fine utilized her momentum to reach the leader’s wheel at the top of the stretch, but Agent Of Fortune dug in gamely to rebuff the challenge. Trotting home in :27.4, Agent Of Fortune reasserted her lead back out to two lengths on the wire over Swan So Fine to score in a lifetime best 1:53.4. Kanita and Atlee Bender completed the trifecta.
An Indiana Sire Stakes winner as a freshman, Agent Of Fortune is now perfect through four starts in 2024 and the daughter of Dover Dan-Posterity boosted her career bankroll to $121,073 for Taylor Racing LLC and Bert Paddock.
The victory was one of two training wins on the evening for Taylor, who also teamed up with Jordan Ross to score in the $30,137 Open Pace with Crooked Smile in 1:49.3.
Helpem Dance used off-the-pace tactics to take the Expresson final in just his second start of his three-year-old season. Leaving from post six, driver Ricky Macomber Jr. took back in the early stages with Helpem Dance while Hudson Swan (Jordan Ross) protected the rail position to lead to the quarter in :27.1.
Bears The One (Robert Taylor) pushed to the lead and took charge to the half in :57 while Water Torpedo (Mike Oosting) assumed command of the outer flow. Bears The One continued to lead as the field entered the final turn, reaching three-quarters in 1:26.3 as Helpem Dance shook off the rail from sixth with five lengths to make up turning for home.
In the stretch, Helpem Dance swung wide and began to pick up steam, exploding home with a :27.1 final quarter and powered to the lead. Helpem Dance crossed the wire 2-1/4 lengths clear to stop the timer in a career best 1:54.4. Hudson Swan rallied up the passing lane to finish second, with First Option (Dan Shetler) closing for third.
Helpem Dance returned $7 to his backers at the betting windows.
Helpem Dance recorded his second win through eight lifetime starts and boosted his bankroll to $38,763. The gelded son of Helpisontheway-Serenas Serenade is trained by Jamie Macomber and owned by Doug Overhiser.
Racing continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Saturday, May 17 with a special first post of 7:20 p.m. due to the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. The 12-race Hoosier Park card features the series finals for both the Go On BB and Hal Dale, which serve as races seven and nine, respectively.
(With files from Hoosier Park)