After cruising to an ultra-impressive 1:55.4 victory in her Indiana Sires Stakes elimination last week, O So Easy followed up with a decisive victory in Tuesday’s $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for two-year-old trotting fillies at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
After stopping the timer in 1:56.1, O So Easy swept the first round of stakes action for the freshman fillies while recording her third win of the season for trainer, driver, and co-owner Verlin Yoder.
Leaving from post nine in a talented field of ten, Yoder wasted no time as he sent the filly away from the gate for the lead. O So Easy would have to work for position as Miss Lady Halfmoon and Trace Tetrick also wanted the front and protected their rail position. O So Easy eventually grabbed the lead just past the quarter in :27.4 and would lead the field through splits of :57.3 and 1:27 before ever feeling a threat.
Lass A Rope and Jim Pantaleano were the first to commit to the outer flow first-over and First Encore K and Ricky Macomber, Jr. quickly grabbed the cover rounding the final turn. Lass A Rope made a strong bid at the leader but O So Easy was too strong on the front.
Utilizing a :29.1 final quarter, O So Easy was able to hold off a late charge from Custom Cantab and Peter Wrenn to get the win by nearly a length. Topville Martini and John DeLong also rallied well late in the mile but had to settle for third place honours. As the 6-5 co-favorite, O So Easy returned $4.60 to her backers at the betting windows.
“She can be a little tough,” Yoder said after the victory. “Just like any trotting filly—she likes things her way. I thought I had to use her a little too much tonight in the first quarter but she overcame it. She’s a very nice filly.”
The rookie filly is now undefeated in three starts in 2017. The daughter of Swan For All-Ostia Hanover was a $20,000 yearling purchase at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale and is owned in partnership by Verlin Yoder and Eleven Star Stables. O So Easy has now earned $52,500 in lifetime purse earnings.
Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will continue on Wednesday, July 12 with a 14-race card featuring the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for two-year-old pacing fillies.
(Hoosier Park)