It was a soggy, rainy night at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday (July 22), but the weather would not deter the two-year-old pacing fillies who were making their Indiana Sires Stakes debuts in two $41,500 divisions.
The fastest divisional winner of the evening was Somethingbeautiful, scoring decisively in 1:53 with LeWayne Miller in the bike.
Sent off at odds of 1-9, Miller put his filly on the front and she strolled through fractions of :28.2, :57.4 and 1:26.2. Turning for home, Somethingbeautiful appeared to save her best for last as she kicked home with a snappy :26.3 closing quarter to win by five lengths. Baci Baci and Ricky Macomber Jr. found late racing room to get up for second-place honours. As the heavy betting favourite, Somethingbeautiful returned $2.40.
With the win, the daughter of Always A Virgin and Summer N Sand established a new lifetime best and remained unbeaten in two lifetime starts. Dylan Davis trains the filly for the ownership partnership of Howard Taylor, Ed Gold, Abe Basen and Richard Lomabardo. Somethingbeatiful increased her lifetime bankroll to $24,500.
Hot Mess Express looked like anything but a hot mess after she turned in an impressive effort to capture the opening stakes division in 1:53.4 over a sloppy track with Sam Widger in the bike.
Leaving from the trailing post 10, Hot Mess Express settled off the pace in fourth while Odds On Dead Heat and Peter Wrenn dictated first half fractions of :28.2 and :58.2. As the field approached the three-quarters, Widger gave his filly the green light, and she marched to the front and quickly grabbed command.
Reaching the three-quarters in 1:26.4, Hot Mess Express found another gear turning for home and simply paced away from her rivals, finishing three lengths in front of Odds On Dead Heat. Sent off as the 4-5 favorite, Hot Mess Express returned $3.60.
Jamaica Patton conditions and also co-owns the homebred Hot Mess Express with Nick, Madeline and Ethan Giberson. The daughter of Panther Hanover and My Heart Was True is now two-for-two in her young career and has earned $23,250.
Indiana Sires Stakes action will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Thursday (July 23) with four divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Thursday’s 14-race card will also feature a $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 (races 3-6) and a $10,000 Guaranteed Hoosier High-5 (race 14). Post time is 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
(Harrah's Hoosier Park)