Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to four divisions of the Indiana Silver Sire Stakes for sophomore trotting colts and geldings on Thursday, with each division worth $10,000.
The second round of the Silver Sire Stakes action was the featured attraction on the 13-race card.
Serenes Yankee Boy and trainer, driver Ed Hensley made quick work of their ten-horse field as they left the gate alertly and never looked back. Dictating middle fractions of :58.4 and 1:27.4, Serenes Yankee Boy saved the best for last as the three-year-old gelding trotted home to reach the wire first in 1:58.1, a lifetime best effort. Jailhouse Troy trotted evenly to finish second with ER Undercover rounding out the top three.
As the heavy betting favourite, Serenes Yankee Boy returned $4.40 for the victory. Sired by Yankee Valor, Serenes Yankee Boy posted his third win from seven starts this season and pushed his seasonal earnings over $20,000.
In the same gate-to-wire fashion, J Ds Justice and driver Dave Magee won their division of the sire stakes action with a final time of 1:59.3. The Justice Hall gelding trotted out of the gate evenly from post nine to reach the front at the half mile mark in :59.3. Bennyola and Jason Dillander benefitted from a pocket trip while Modoc followed intently in third. As the field reached the three-quarters in 1:29, J Ds Justice began to trot away from the field. Scoring his third win of the season, J Ds Justice finished five lengths in front of Bennyola. Modoc battled gamely to finish third.
Owned by Leslie Bennett, J Ds Justice is trained by Aaron Bennett and has now won three of seven lifetime starts while earning over $10,000 in 2013.
Jessesexpress, third choice in his split of the stakes action, won going away for driver/trainer Dan Shetler in 1:59.4. In a race filled with miscues, Jessesexpress stayed out of harm’s way as he found the front through the opening quarter and remained uncontested throughout the mile. Notching his first win of the season, the three-year-old gelding has earned over $10,000 lifetime for his connections.
Brandon Bates found the winner’s circle in the opening round of the sire stakes action for three-year-old trotting colts as he steered DC Flashback to victory in 1:59.4. In a maiden breaking victory, DC Flashback staged a big rally late in the homestretch to get the victory over Charles VII. Trained by Brandon Bates, the Pinetucky gelding is owned by Victor Lengacher.
Indiana Silver Sire Stakes Action continues at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, May 31 with three divisions of three-year-old pacing fillies going postward for $10,000.
(Hoosier Park)