Indiana Downs played host to the first round of Indiana Sires Stakes action for sophomore pacing fillies on Tuesday, July 26, as two divisions went postward. The heavily-favoured Radar Contact and Ashleysnflight, winner and runner-up in the $200,000 ISS final held earlier this month, won their respective divisions with ease.
Radar Contact kept her sophomore campaign flawless with a 1:54 performance in the first $40,000 division. Guided by Dan Shetler from the outside post position, the Dontgetinmyway filly took command after second-choice Dollys Joy (driven by Sam Widger) led the field to a :27.3 opening quarter. On the front, Radar Contact clicked off the middle fractions in :57.3 and 1:27.1 before pacing home in :26.4 to win by nearly two lengths. Dollys Joy followed, with Endeavors Glory (Trace Tetrick) rounding out the trifecta.
Trained by Charles Stillings, who co-owns the filly with Dean Ehrgott, Radar Contact is now seven-for-seven in 2011. The filly has won 11 straight starts for her connections, dating back to September 20, 2010.
Ashleysnflight and Peter Wrenn moved to the lead after the quarter and never looked back in the second $45,600 division, where they beat 11 other rivals by three and one-quarter lengths in 1:52.4. Having left from Post 6, Wrenn and the Panspacificflight filly circled the early leaders, Yankees Glowing and Will Panout, after a :27.1 first panel. Having reached the opening half in :55.3 and three quarters in 1:24.2, the tandem cruised home with a :28.2 last quarter. Will Panout (Josh Sutton), crossed the wire second. A 28-1 shot, MJs Last Dance (Ross Leonard) finished third.
Ashleysnflight is trained by Phillip James, who owns the filly in partnership with breeder David Isaacs and Charles Isaacs. The victory was the third of the season, and the winning time established a new mark for the sophomore.
Favored Surclasser and driver Ricky Macomber, Jr. won the $22,000 Invitational Trot Tuesday evening with a 1:54.3 performance. The Jailhouse Jesse four-year-old finished two lengths in front of ABC Mercedes (Joe Putnam). Speed N The Tunnel (Sam Widger) finished third. Surclasser is owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The victory was the seventh in 23 starts this season for the trotter.
(Indiana Downs)