Freddyscooter and driver Trace Tetrick held steady in the final strides to take home the top prize in the $24,000 Open Pace Wednesday, June 22 at Hoosier Park
Racing & Casino. The duo covered the one-mile distance in a time of 1:51.3.
Starting from Post 8, Freddyscooter was ushered out quickly at the start, using a different strategy early on. The six-year-old I Scoot Hanover gelding was still on the outside at the first quarter in a time of :26.2, but he was soon in control of the race. Settling in nicely on the front by the halfway marker in a time of :57, Freddyscooter took that breather as a chance to prepare for the final half of the race.
In the stretch, Freddyscooter began to pull away from the field, but he was accompanied by Get It Now and Ricky Macomber, who had been tracking him every stride since the quarter mile marker. In the end, it was a sprint to the finish and Freddyscooter would not be denied, winning his second straight Open by three-quarters of a length over Get It Now. Royalton Star and Andy Shetler were six lengths back in third.
“It was a different trip tonight,” said Tetrick. “[Freddyscooter] seemed to like it. He was game all the way to the wire. Steve [Brannan] does an exceptional job keeping this horse sharp.”
Owned by Steve Brannan of Bryan, Ohio and Fred Shiery of Camden, Michigan, Freddyscooter is now three-for-seven in 2011. He recorded his 26th career win for Brannan, who raised him from his standout broodmare, Precious Sarah. Freddyscooter is now over the $525,000 career earnings mark.
The win for Tetrick was the third on the program. Earlier in the evening, Tetrick brought home a winner in the second race of the night for trainer Kim Pluta. Game Belief rallied three-wide around the final turn to post a 1:55.2 victory.
Tetrick also piloted Search Engine to his second straight win in the evening’s sixth race for trainer Shawn Glassmeyer. Tetrick moved Search Engine to the front a little earlier in the mile and prevailed in the end with a mile in 1:53.2. The seven-year-old Electric Yankee seems to be coming back into form for owner Andrew Glassmeyer of Felton, Delaware. The one-time Indiana Sires Stakes standout added to his already impressive bankroll, moving over the $325,000 career earnings mark with his most recent win.
Tetrick remains in second place on the list of leading drivers for 2011. The 24-year-old driver from Geff, Illinois has accumulated 92 wins through the first 61 days of racing. He trails two-time leading driving champ Peter Wrenn by 10 wins, who also scored a driving double on the Wednesday evening program.
(Hoosier Park)