Slick Rick Macomber, part of the Fab Five drivers at Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, picked up three wins in Indiana Sires Stakes action Saturday, May 2
. The afternoon racing program kicked off the action for Sires Stakes in the Hoosier State, which will conclude closing day with the championship legs on Indiana Million Dollar Day Saturday, July 11.
Macomber’s first win was recorded in Race 9 with Got Er Done. Enduring a first over trip to the top of the stretch, Macomber moved by the front horses with ease and was on cruise control until mid-stretch. Theorys Hero and Peter Wrenn, Hoosier Park’s 2009 leading driver, came to the wheel of Got Er Done with authority, but Got Er Done hit another gear and pulled away for the impressive victory in 1:54.3. He was two and one-quarter lengths ahead of King Me and Trace Tetrick, who closed late for second. What A Dragon and Don Eash rallied home for third.
“This is a really nice colt,” said Macomber of Got Er Done. “This is the third time I’ve driven him and he just keeps getting better every start. He’s a real competitor. The other horse (Theorys Hero) came right up to him in the stretch, and he just took off. It kind of surprised me, but he just had a lot left.”
Owned by Christine Hecht, Jerry and Betty Smith, Got Er Done is the final foal from Storm Damage, who is now 32 years old. The standout racehorse and sire is still owned by the Smith family. They campaigned the horse to 18 wins in 36 starts with earnings in excess of $650,000 total. Their latest star, Got Er Done, improved his career best time with the Sires Stakes win and increased his career bankroll to more than $25,000 in only his third start of 2009.
In other Sires Stakes action for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers, Macomber was triumphant with Evening Job from the Ron Burke Stable. The sophomore son of Dream Work used a half-mile move to the lead and never looked back, posting a time of 1:53.3. F Train and driver Walter Haynes Jr. grinded it out for second while Up Town Watts and driver Don Eash closed quickly for third.
Evening Job is owned by Burke Stable along with Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino, and JJK Stables. The victory for the low-going colt was the first of the year in his first start for 2009.
Macomber completed his triple-win day by guiding another Burke trainee to the winner’s enclosure in Race 12. Justlikegarland completed the course in a time of 1:59.0 to take the third division of the Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters.
Starting from the outside Post 8, Justlikegarland trotted out well to attempt to reach the lead, but his goal was not accomplished until the halfway point in :59.0. From that point home, the ABC Garland gelding seemed comfortable and controlled before reach the stretch drive.
In the lane, Justlikegarland had to worry about Get To Trottin and Brad Hanners, who had sat on his back the entire way. But no ground was lost as Justlikegarland trotted home for the one and three-quarter length victory in his first start of 2009. Get To Trottin was an easy second over CW Ted Lunar and Ross Leonard for third.
Justlikegarland is owned by nearly the same connections of Evening Job, including Loren Raber with Burke Racing, Baldachino, and Bruscemi. He now possesses a total of more than $30,000 in earnings.
(Hoosier Park)