Indiana Sire Stakes action returned to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Wednesday (June 11) with a lone $131,507 division of the second leg for sophomore trotting fillies. Trainer Henry Graber Jr. completed a clean sweep of the trifecta as Miracle Maven nosed out her stablemate, Better Takem, to score in 1:54.2.
Sent off as the 2-5 favourite with regular pilot John De Long in the bike, Miracle Maven floated into the pocket from post two as Swan Jewel (Marcus Miller) trotted to an early lead through an opening quarter of :27.4. De Long moved Miracle Maven to the top on the backstretch, and she led to the half in :57 while her stablemates Classical Jane (Trace Tetrick) and Better Takem (Jordan Ross) started the outer flow from mid-pack. Miracle Maven opened up a 2-1/2 length lead on the final turn, reaching three-quarters in 1:25.2 with Classical Jane moving into third on the outside and Better Takem following her cover from fifth.
Turning for home, Miracle Maven’s lead swelled to four lengths at the eighth pole before her strides began to shorten and Better Takem began to do her best work. Better Takem closed steadily with a :27.4 final stanza but could not reel in her stablemate as Miracle Maven reached the wire a head in front. Classical Jane held sway for third, two lengths behind her stablemates while Sweetasmoni (Kyle Wilfong) concluded the super at 41-1.
Miracle Maven has now won two of three to start her three-year-old season, and seven of 12 lifetime while only missing the board once in her career. Bred by Noah Wickey, the daughter of Dont Letem-Bad Babysitter has banked $307,341 lifetime for owners Hillside Stables, Frank Baldachino, Beasty LLC, and Eleven Star Stables.
Racing continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Thursday, June 12 with a 14-race card that features two divisions of the second leg of Indiana Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts in races six and 10. In the first division, Ron Burke’s On To Norway, in search of his eighth straight victory, will take on fellow leg one winner, Tarzan, who leaves from the outside post seven for the team of Marcus and Erv Miller.
In addition to Indiana Sire Stakes, Harrah’s Hoosier Park will offer a trio of $10,000 guaranteed wagers on the Early Pick 5 (Races 1-5), Late Pick 4 (Races 11-14) and Late Hoosier High 5 (Race 14), with the latter two wagers done in partnership with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program. The Late Hoosier High 5 on Wednesday went unsolved, leading to a carryover of $8,454.72 into Thursday’s Early Hoosier High 5 in Race 7 which offers an industry low takeout of 12 per cent.
(With files from Harrah's Hoosier Park)