Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to a 14-race card highlighted by Indiana Sires Stakes action on Wednesday, May 24 but it was leading driver Trace Tetrick who stole the show. Winning eight of the evening’s 14-races, Tetrick once again tied the record for most wins in one night, a feat that he also reached in 2012.
Eric Ledford established the eight-race record in 1999 while Don Irvine Jr. recorded eight wins in 2003 and most recently, Sam Widger accomplished an eight-win night in late 2016.
While the track was rated 'good' for much of the evening due to rain in the area, Tetrick didn’t seem to mind.
Tetrick found the winner’s circle for the first time on the evening in the second race of the program behind Lone Wolf Terror for trainer Philippe Belanger. After finishing off the board in the third race, Tetrick then went on to steer four consecutive winners on the program including Swan Forever in the opening division of Indiana Sires Stakes action for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings for trainer Erv Miller. With a final time of 1:55.4, Swan Forever used a near gate-to-wire effort to score his second lifetime victory and establish a new lifetime best in the process.
Tetrick also took the second division of the Indiana Sires Stakes eliminations behind Swan Chase for trainer William Crone. Using a determined gate-to-wire effort, Swan Chase delivered as the post time favourite to score by nearly two lengths in 1:56.1 and give Tetrick his sixth winner of the night.
Tetrick found the winner’s circle three races later as DJ Delight staged a big rally late in the lane to pull the slight upset in the 11th race of the evening. Scoring in a new lifetime best of 1:57.1, Tetrick found late racing room and the Dan O’Mara trainee utilized a :27.2 final panel to record his first win of the season.
Tetrick’s eighth and final winner of the night came in the last race of the program behind the Tyler George-trained Last Minute Cindy. Sent off as the heavy betting favourite, Last Minute Cindy went gate-to-wire and dug in gamely late in the mile to score in 1:55.3.
“Everything worked out for us tonight,” Tetrick humbly noted after the eighth winner. “Looking at the program, I knew a few of my horses had good shots to win and a few of the other horses really stepped up and raced great tonight, so it all worked out.”
“Every night is a new night,” he continued. “When I hang up the lines after every race, it’s on to the next one. I just try to do the best I can and put each horse in the best spot to win every race. I could have nights where I lose eight in a row so I try to take every night as a new night and tonight was just a really good night. I am thankful to everyone who continues to give me the opportunity to drive their horses.”
The Southern Illinois native started driving in 2003 and has been making headlines ever since. Now at the age of 30, Tetrick has five Hoosier Park leading driver titles to his credit and has stamped himself into the Hoosier Park history books on more than one occasion.
As the all-time leading driver in Hoosier Park history, Tetrick also holds the record for most wins in one season after he recorded 371 victories throughout the 2016 season. Tetrick recently celebrated career win 4,000 at Hoosier Park and is on his way to record his best season to date in 2017. With 257 wins on the season, Tetrick is ranked second among all drivers in North America and currently leads all drivers at Hoosier Park through 36 nights of live racing.
Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino continues on Thursday, May 25 with a 14-race card featuring a $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 pool in races three through six. First race post time is 6:30 p.m.
(Hoosier Park)