A week of Indiana Sire Stakes action came to a conclusion on Saturday (July 22) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Two $48,500 divisions of six three-year-old pacing fillies competing in leg four of eight of Indiana Sire Stakes highlighted the 12-race card, where Rollin Rosie and Queens Reign each captured their third victories of the 2023 season.
In the first division for the sophomore fillies, 1-5 favourite Rollin Rosie looked the part as she strolled to an open-length victory with driver Trace Tetrick.
Tetrick put Rollin Rosie into the thick of the action quickly from the pylon starting spot, landing in the pocket as John De Long guided Fortunada to the front through an easy opening quarter of :28.1. Tetrick wasn’t content to follow the leader for long, popping pocket at the quarter and quickly asserting Rollin Rosie to the front up the backstretch through an opening half of :57. Tetrick hit the accelerator as the field entered the far turn, opening up by two lengths on the field reaching the three-quarter station in 1:24.4.
The victory was never in doubt for Rollin Rosie as she maintained her cushion on the field in the sprint to the wire. Powering home with a :26.1 final quarter, Rollin Rosie scored decisively by nearly three lengths on the line to stop the timer in 1:51. Its Corona Time and Ricky Macomber Jr. staged a strong rally for place, with Sleazy Mama and Mike Oosting rounding out the trifecta.
The victory was the third in four seasonal starts for Rollin Rosie, who has only been defeated twice in her 11-race career. Trained by Tyler George, who also co-owns the filly along with Scp Stable Inc. and Gregory Samples, Rollin Rosie has now banked $278,270 for her career. Bred by Mahlon Lambright, Rollin Rosie is a daughter of JK Endofanera out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare, Rock N Roll Baby.
In the second Sire Stakes division on the card, Queens Reign went on to prove her 46-1 victory in leg three was no fluke, reigning supreme following an eventful mile.
Saddled with post six, driver Pete Wrenn hustled Queens Reign towards the front in the early stages, finding themselves parked to the opening quarter in a hot :25.4 by Walkin On Sunshine and Jay Cross. Queens Reign cleared on the backstretch, but wouldn’t lead as Walkin On Sunshine was intent on grabbing the front, popping the pocket and taking command to the half in a rated :55.1. The lead changed hands once again on the far turn with Firstofanera and Atlee Bender taking their turn on the front end with the favoured Tells On A Roll and Trace Tetrick in hot pursuit first over through three-quarters in 1:23.
As the field spun out of the far turn, Queens Reign was faced with some traffic troubles as the inside lane jammed. However, Wrenn was able to navigate the filly off the pylons to the wide side of the track with their sights set on Tells On A Roll and Walkin On Sunshine. Surging home with a :27 final quarter, Queens Reign quickly gobbled the racetrack once she got herself straightened, blitzing by the leaders to score the victory by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:51. Walkin On Sunshine and Cross held for the place position, with Tells On A Roll finishing third.
Trained by Ernie Gaskin, Queens Reign picked up her third win in six trips to the track in 2023. A homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-Queens Gold, Queens Reign has bolstered her career bankroll to $261,710 for owners Watermark Farm LLC.
Earlier on the card, trainer Robert Taylor teamed up with Jordan Ross to sweep both $22,000 Open events on the night. In the Fillies and Mares Open Pace, Apple Valley was able to split rivals late in the lane to score a 17-1 victory over Shes Magical and Mike Oosting in 1:50.2. And in the Open Trot, four-year-old mare Jusmakinyalook capitalized off of a pocket trip to beat the boys in 1:51.2 over Brookview Bolt and Trace Tetrick, equalling the track record for aged trotting mares established by 2022 Dan Patch Trotter of the Year Bella Bellini in the 2022 Caesars Trotting Classic.
Racing resumes at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Tuesday (July 25) with a 14-race card featuring two divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies to go along with the $10,000 guaranteed Hoosier High Five on the Race 14 finale. Post time for the Tuesday night card is 6:15 p.m. (EDT).
(Harrah's Hoosier Park)