After a successful start to the Indiana fair circuit’s "Quest for the Governor's Cup" on June 1 and 2, the series returns to the Converse Fairgrounds for another engagement Wednesday, June 8 and Thursday, June 9, with an 11 a.m. post time each day.
Over the two days, a total of 28 divisions will be contested, each offering a $3,500 purse. All 26 winners from last week will look to secure a second victory and earn valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the Governor’s Cup Championships, slated for August 11 at the Indiana State Fair.
Driver Jordan Ross will attempt to build on his week one momentum, as he guided seven winners over two days at Converse to take the early lead in the standings. Doug Rideout, last year’s leading driver and trainer on the circuit, currently sits in second with five winning drives aboard horses he also conditions. Mervin Schmucker sent out four winners last week to rank second, while trainers Curtis Rice and Justin White each collected three wins.
Rice’s pupil Take Your Pick impressed in her debut last week, winning by 16-1/2 lengths with Clifton Bell in the sulky. The winning time of 2:00.2 is only a few ticks off the track record for freshman pacing fillies. Owned by Gregory Riley, the JK Endofanera-Intelligence freshman is a sister to 2021 fair circuit divisional winner Rockin Bambi. Take Your Pick has drawn into Wednesday’s second race with fellow winner Kruisin Kristen, driven by Jay Cross.
A trio of two-year-old pacing colts that claimed victory last week will square off in Wednesday’s sixth race. Glawbanera (1:59), Goosebumpsthefrog (2:00.3) and Little Fighter (2:07.1) will attempt to score a second win in as many weeks. Jones Z Tam, also a dominating 1:59 winner last week for driver/trainer Mackenzie McDonald, will line up in the second tier in race seven.
First crop trotting sires You Know You Do, Helpisontheway and Swan In A Million each produced winners last week. Colt Mr Knowitall (2:09) and filly Youknowyoudid (2:12.1) claimed victory in their debut for You Know You Do. Gigi Dream (2:11.2) and Help Dust (2:12.1) carried the day for Helpisontheway, while Swan In A Million was represented by colt Reckless Reviver (2:14.4). Each trotter will race again Thursday.
Luckychris turned in the fastest mile last week when he finished half a length in front of Vel Larry in a time of 1:57.4. The three-year-old colt set a new track record last season at Converse. The son of Luck Be Withyou, owned by D And R Racing Stable and trained by Rice, has drawn into the first of two divisions for sophomore pacing colts, carded Thursday as the afternoon’s 12th race.
Racing fans are encouraged to follow along and participate this season using #Quest4GovCup on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Quest for the Governor’s Cup locations and dates:
- Round 1: Converse, Ind. - June 1 & 2 - Complete
- Round 2: Converse, Ind. - June 8 & 9
- Round 3: Corydon, Ind. - June 16 & 17
- Round 4: Shelbyville, Ind. - June 21 & 22
- Round 5: Frankfort, Ind. - June 27 & 28
- Round 6: Frankfort, Ind. - July 4 & 5
- Round 7: Kendallville, Ind. and Kentland, Ind. - July 9
- Round 8: Portland, Ind. - July 13
- Round 9: Shelbyville, Ind. - July 18 & 19
- Round 10: Goshen, Ind. - July 23, 25 & 26
- Round 11: Connersville, Ind. - August 1 & 2
- Round 12: Portland, Ind. - August 6
- Governor’s Cup Championships: Indianapolis, Ind. - August 11
Horses earn a point for each start made on the fair circuit, with race winners awarded 50 points. A second-place finish merits 25 points, a third-place effort yields 12 points, eight points are awarded for fourth place and five points for fifth place. The top eight point-earners in each division that have also made the prerequisite seven fair starts will compete in the $25,000 Governor's Cup Championships.
Indiana fair races will be available via livestream this season through a partnership between the Indiana Standardbred Association and Indiana Standardbred Breed Development. Fans can watch fair racing by visiting the ISA website, indianaharness.com, on race days. Races will be archived on the website.
(USHWA Indiana)