Two-year-old pacing fillies got their Indiana Sire Stakes season underway with three divisions of the first leg featured on the Thursday, July 10 card at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The driver/trainer combo of Ricky and Jamie Macomber secured victories in each of the first two divisions with Loveyoucookie and JKs Flirty Girl before Kaks The Boss and driver Kyle Wilfong stormed to victory in the final division for trainer Jeff Cullipher.
Leaving from post three in the $68,384 first division, driver Ricky Macomber Jr. grabbed the pocket spot off of the gate while Kyle Wilfong sent Lastchanceforlove to the front at the quarter in :27.4. The order remained unchanged up front to the half in :57 before the lead duo began to separate slightly from the field at three-quarters in 1:26.3.
Macomber popped the pocket turning for home, quickly grabbing command by two lengths with an eighth of a mile to go with 4-5 favourite Tarshish (Jay Cross) in pursuit. Powering home in :27, Loveyoucookie cruised to a 2-3/4-length victory over Tarshish in a lifetime best 1:53.4. Donut Lady (John De Long) navigated rivals in the lane to finish third. Loveyoucookie returned $10.40 for her backers at the betting windows.
Now perfect through the first two starts of her career, Loveyoucookie is owned by Doug Overhiser. From the first crop of sire Capt Midnight, Loveyoucookie is out of the Rockin Image mare Bluebird Love and was bred by Daryl Miller.
Team Macomber came right back in the very next race to take the $63,699 second division with JKs Flirty Girl. Starting from post six, Macomber got away fourth while 4-5 favourite Always A Card found the front from the rail to reach the quarter first in :28.3. Macomber pulled the right line on the backstretch to steamroll to the front just prior to reaching the half in :57.3 before taking the field to three-quarters unchallenged in 1:27.
Turning for home, JKs Flirty Girl responded swiftly to a couple of Macomber whip taps, sprinting away by 2-1/2 lengths midway down the lane. JKs Flirty Girl stopped the timer in 1:54, crossing the wire three lengths clear of Always A Card. Infatuation (John De Long) rounded out the trifecta in third. JKs Flirty Girl returned $4.20 as the bettors' second-choice.
Also undefeated through two starts in her young career, JKs Flirty Girl is co-owned by Jamie Macomber along with James Stonecipher, who bred the daughter of JK Endofanera-Mcflirty.
In the $68,384 third division, Kaks The Boss broke through to earn her maiden-breaking victory in her second outing with driver Kyle Wilfong aboard. Tiffany Blue (Marvin Luna) crossed over quickly to the lead from the outside post eight before relinquishing control to Rocky Dude (Trace Tetrick) through a quarter in :28 as Kaks The Boss stalked from fourth. Rocky Dude had things her way to the half in :57.3 before Wilfong wheeled Kaks The Boss first-over and to the leader’s wheel at three-quarters in 1:26.4.
Swinging into the stretch, Kaks The Boss continued to wear down a stubborn Rocky Dude before taking command by a half-length at the eighth pole. Once in command, Kaks The Boss sprinted away by 2-3/4 lengths on the wire in 1:54 over Tiffany Blue and Wunderkindbluechip (Mike Oosting). Kaks The Boss paid $5.80 to win.
The victory was the first for Kaks The Boss after finishing a narrow second to Loveyoucookie in her career debut. Bred by Victory Hill Farm, Kaks The Boss is a daughter of JK Endofanera out of the Captaintreacherous mare, Girl Boss. She is owned by Pollack Racing LLC along with trainer Jeff Cullipher.
The 14-race Thursday, July 11 card at Hoosier Park will be highlighted by a trio of divisions for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings in their first leg of Indiana Sire Stakes. The Thursday card features a carryover of $11,631.93 in the Jackpot Pick 6 (Races 8-13), to go along with $10,000 guarantees in each the Late Pick 4 (Races 11-14) and Hoosier High 5 (Race 14). First post for Thursday is 6:15 p.m.
(Hoosier Park)