Staging a big rally late in the lane, Rockin BB and Ricky Macomber Jr. pulled the slight upset in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for three-year-old pacing fillies, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, June 3.
On a beautiful Saturday evening, Rockin BB used the long Hoosier Park stretch to her advantage to stop the timer in 1:52.2 and establish a new lifetime best in the process. With the win, Rockin BB snapped a six-race win streak for the heavily favoured, Rockin Racer and Jared Finn.
Rockin Racer used her customary front-running tactics to fly from the wings of the gate to set fast, first half fractions of :25.4 and :54.3. Always About Farah and Andy Shetler protected their rail position and grabbed a pocket seat behind the early pacesetter while Firstup and Ross Leonard were next in line third. Rockin BB was uninvolved through the early stages of the race and set eighth along the rail for much of the mile.
Leonard gave Firstup the green light and she was out and firing to grab command as the field reached the three-quarter clocking in 1:22.2. Firstup continued to call the shots turning for home but the rest of the field was closing in.
As the quick pace began to take its toll on the leader, Macomber Jr. tipped Rockin BB wide to the outside and she utilized a :28.3 final quarter to prevail in a tight photo over Pretty Image and Dale Hiteman. Rockin Serena and Peter Wrenn also rallied well late in the mile to get up for third-place honours.
Slightly dismissed at the betting windows, Rockin BB returned $23.20 to her backers.
Trained by Ron Burke, Rockin BB notched her third win from eight seasonal starts. The daughter of Rockin Image-Yankee Pankee BB has now amassed $87,730 in lifetime purse earnings for owners Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, and Weaver Bruscemi.
The victory with Rockin BB was one of four wins on the program for driver Ricky Macomber Jr., who also scored with JDs Chancey Gal in the $25,000 Indiana Sires Stakes consolation for three-year-old pacing fillies in 1:52 for trainer Pasko Vucinaj.
(With files from Hoosier Park)