Drink Up Drink Up took the $30,556 Open Handicap Trot, and Rollin Rosie scored her first win of the season in the $30,556 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace on Saturday, May 23 at Harrah's Hoosier Park.
Drink Up Drink Up marched out of post six for Brandon Bates and slid into the pocket behind Ponda Jet (Kyle Wilfong), who put up a first quarter of :27.1 and maintained his lead through the half in :56.1. Second choice Operator (Marcus Miller) was the first to break the ice, moving up along the outside from fifth into the final turn. Drink Up Drink Up left the pocket at the three-quarters in 1:24.2 to go after Ponda Jet down the lane, with Niko Man (Atlee Bender) in need of room behind them.
Ponda Jet and Drink Up Drink Up put on a slug fest down the lane while the rest of the field closed in on the top two trotters. After trading blows throughout the stretch drive, Drink Up Drink Up delivered the knockout blow late to win by a half-length 1:52.4. Ponda Jet held on for second with Niko Man third at 20-1. The entire field of six was separated by 1-3/4 lengths on the wire.
The winning six-year-old Trixton-Homefortheholidays gelding is trained by Walter Haynes Jr. for owners Adam Friedland and Brian Carsey. Drink Up Drink Up added his sixth win of the season in 11 outings and boosted his career earnings to $579,885. He is now 25-for-91 lifetime. Drink Up Drink Up paid $8.60 to win.
The distaff pacers put on a show in their bout, with Rollin Rosie emerging from a three-across finish in a race that had all eight mares separated by 2-1/4 lengths at the finish.
Trace Tetrick rifled the 2-1 favourite off the wings from post four, crossing over in front of Tarshish (Marcus Miller) to cut the opening quarter in :26.1. Rollin Rosie took pressure throughout the middle half as Yankee B Something (Jordan Ross), unable to find a seat on the first turn, moved to the leader’s wheel at the midway point in :54.4 and continued to apply pressure on the final turn, pushing Rollin Rosie to the three-quarters in 1:22.4.
Rollin Rosie rounded the corner with a length edge over Yankee B Something and faced fresh threats from Wild Rosa (Travis Seekman) and Canttouchthese (John De Long) in the centre of the track down the stretch. Those two surged late, but Rollin Rosie hung on by a neck in 1:51 over longshot Wild Rosa, with Canttouchthese third.
The win was the first in two outings this season for the Tyler George-trained Rollin Rosie. Owned by SCP Stable Inc., George and Greg Samples, the six-year-old daughter of Jk Endofanera-Rock N Roll Baby has won 29 of 60 races and banked $848,444 lifetime. She returned $6.20 to win.
Racing resumes at Hoosier Park on Monday with a Memorial Day program. The 15-race card gets underway at 5:30 p.m. and features the first round of the Indiana Sire Stakes for all three-year-old divisions, headlined by the return of World Champion Odds On Mr Mamba in the finale. The Memorial Day card also includes $10,000 guarantees on the Late Pick 4 (Races 12-15) and Late High 5 (race 15) in partnership with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program.
(With files from Hoosier Park; photo of Drink Up Drink Up winning on May 23)