Crybabycry and driver-trainer Rick Schaut picked up an upset win in the third round of the $25,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Friday, June 12
. The sophomore trotting daughter of Butler Hall edged out the competition for her first career win in only her fourth career start.
Beginning from Post 4 in the eight-filly lineup, Crybabycry grabbed the top spot early, passing by the first quarter-mile marker in a time of :29. She was quickly overtaken as race favourite Rosemarys Secret and Ricky Macomber moved to the lead, posting fractions of :59.3 and 1:30.4. Heading into the stretch, the battle was on.
Crybabycry waited for clearance halfway through the stretch, and when the opportunity arose, she emerged into the picture, getting the last step in her favour for the victory in a time of 2:00.2. Rosemarys Secret was close in the three-horse photo to finish second just a half-length back and just a half-length ahead of third place finisher ABC EZ Credit and Verlin Yoder.
Unraced at two, Crybabycry earned the first money of her career with the win for Schaut, who trains the horse for owner Mark Rorabeck of Nutrioso, Arizona. She paid $60.60, $13.80 and $7.30 across the board for her efforts.
Schaut first came to Hoosier Park last season and immediately made an impact on Indiana racing with the four-year-old pacer Green River Gorge. The duo won several Invitationals and posted a mile in 1:49.1, the second fastest mile ever recorded over Hoosier Park’s seven-eighths mile oval and the fastest mile outside of a Dan Patch Invitational race. Green River Gorge was stricken with colic this winter and was rushed to Purdue University for medical care, but did not survive.
Schaut and his wife, Lynn, recently purchased a farm near Hoosier Park. They now have a training track and race year-round on the Indiana circuit.
In other Indiana Sires Stakes news, Livnluvn Bluegrass, guided by Dan Shetler, continued her winning streak, picking up her fourth straight win and her fifth in six starts for 2009. The Keep It A Secret trotting filly increased her career earnings to more than $118,000 for owner Dr. Luel Overstreet of Henderson, Kentucky and trainer John Merkel.
Overstreet and Merkel also connected in a division of the three-year-old pacing filly Indiana Sires Stakes as Ag N Au Bluegrass, with leading driver Peter Wrenn, won her fifth straight race. High Speed Life and Macomber won the other pacing division of Indiana Sires Stakes in a time of 1:54.0, a new lifetime mark for the Ron Burke-trained filly.
(Hoosier Park)