Winning a first start is always an impressive accomplishment. Winning a stakes race? Even better. Closing in :25.1 for the stakes win? That's really going to attract attention.
Indiana-sired two-year-old pacing colts were the featured attraction at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Thursday (July 14) as the evening’s 13-race card was highlighted by two $70,000 Indiana Sires Stakes divisions for the freshman pacing colts. It was the first round of six preliminary legs for the two-year-olds in Indiana Sires Stakes.
Buzzsaw Russ turned his career debut into an eye-catching, off-the pace score to capture the first Indiana Sires Stakes division in 1:53. With driver John DeLong in the bike, Buzzsaw Russ employed a :25.1 closing kick to get the win by a length and a half over Why Not Now (Peter Wrenn). Bible Thumper and Daryl Bontrager, who were the pacesetters for much of the mile, finished third. Coach Stefanos and Trace Tetrick were sent off as the betting favourite but made a costly break in the first turn. As the public’s second choice, Buzzsaw Russ returned $9.20 to his backers at the betting windows.
Trained by Missy Essig, the son of Rockin Image — Up Front Cruiser scored his first lifetime victory after a pair of qualifying victories at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Buzzsaw Russ is owned in partnership by Russell Beeman and Charles Weaver and was bred by Devon Beechy and Devon Knepp.
In the second division, Art It Is and Brandon Bates converted a pocket trip into an impressive 1:51.2 score. Leaving from post nine, Bates gave Art It Is his marching orders and he left the gate alertly to grab a seat behind the pacesetting Hetolditlikeitwas and driver John DeLong.
Hetolditlikeitwas led the field through splits of :27.1, :56, and 1:24.3 before ever feeling a threat from the rest of the field. Art It Is tipped from the pocket turning for home and used a :26.2 closing kick to get the win by a length and a quarter. Hetolditlikeitwas was second while Dustin The Others (Jimmy Whittemore) rallied gamely to finish third. Art It Is returned $12.00 to his backers at the betting windows.
Trained by Mark P’Pool, Art It Is recorded his second win from two lifetime starts. Dolne Farm Services LLC, T.L. Defabis and M.E. P’Pool co-own the gelded son of Tellitlikeitis — Jnb N Me, who was bred by Legacy Acres.
Live harness racing continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, July 15 with an action-packed 14-race card. First post is 6:15 p.m.
(Hoosier)