A pair of $34,500 divisions for the Indiana Sires Stakes (INSS) topped the Saturday (July 18) card at Harrah's Hoosier Park with Odds On Osiris and Caribbean Escape claiming victory.
Odds On Osiris kicked off the stakes action for the evening in the opening division as he took the lead from post 5. As the gate opened, Dry Creek Sam also pursued the front with Island Of The Sea. Clocking fractions of :25.3 and :54.3, Odds On Osiris remained unchallenged until three-quarters in 1:24:1 when Dry Creek Sam attacked first over.
Dry Creek Sam matched strides with Odds On Osiris down the stretch while Clever Character wound a bid from behind. When the clock stopped in 1:50.3, Odds On Osiris reached the wire first, equaling his best time. Roll With Time arrived late on the scene for second while Island Of The Sea finished third.
“It’s been an interesting year, but he’s exactly where I was hoping he’d be at this point,” Wrenn said after the victory. “That was a nice mile and I was very impressed with his class tonight.”
Odds On Osiris, the son of Rockin Image-Antigua Hanover brought his lifetime bankroll to $366,895 with his eighth win. He is owned by Odds On Racing and was bred by Merlie Schwartz. He paid $3.60 to win.
Division two brought a full field of 11 but that did not deter Caribbean Escape from rallying late to score his second-straight stakes victory.
Using similar tactics from his first-round victory, Caribbean Escape was uninvolved in the early tussle as Sawyers Desire followed the wings of the gate for the lead. Caribbean Escape showed his stamina, as he sat second over through the first quarter in :26.1 and remained there through the half in :54. Always And Again with Ken Holliday wanted their turn on the front, clearing control and leading the field into the final turn.
As the field turned for home off three-quarters in 1:22.2, Always And Again still held the lead while Caribbean Escape joined the cavalry charge toward the finish from third over. Driver John DeLong tipped Caribbean Escape late in the lane and he dug in gamely to put a nose in front and stop the clock in 1:51. Northern Cadillac and Joey Putnam closed from the clouds to finish second while Family Recipe and LeWayne Miller got up for third.
“With the eight hole in an eleven horse field, I figured we would have a tough trip,” DeLong said. “We needed speed up front and that’s exactly what happened. This horse has come a long way in a short amount of time.”
Trained by K. Dean Glispie, who also co-owns with Barbara Schlagetter and Gail Potter, Caribbean Escape added a third win to his record. Bred by Stephanie Smith, the son of Bring On The Beach-Caribbean now sports a lifetime bankroll of $46,142.
Grabbing the spotlight before the INSS races was six-year-old trotting gelding Majestic Player A. After sitting last for much of the mile, Majestic Player A used an incredible stretch rally to get up in the final strides and score his ninth straight victory. Stopping the clock in 1:51.1, Majestic Player A not only established a lifetime best but also equaled the track record at Harrah’s Hoosier Park for older trotters.
Trained by Walter Haynes Jr., Majestic Player A remains undefeated in three starts at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Indiana Sires Stakes action will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Tuesday (July 21) with two divisions for two-year-old trotting fillies kicking off their stakes season.
(Harrah's Hoosier Park)