Indiana Downs hosted the opening round of Indiana Sires Stakes competition for sophomore trotting fillies on Thursday, July 28. Two $40,000 preliminary legs were offered, with the favourite in each contest suffering defeat. Bar Nancy earned a 1:56.4 victory in the first division, while Jazzi Jo claimed a 1:57.1 score.
Having finished fifth in the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final at Hoosier Park, Bar Nancy rebounded to collect her second seasonal win Thursday night, lowering her mark in the process. Driven by Ricky Macomber, Jr. for trainer Ron Burke, the Above The Bar filly raced near the front from Post 2 as Barn Lady and favourite Lakeview Fest traded places on the lead through opening fractions of :28.2 and :58. Macomber moved the sophomore first-over and raced to three quarters (1:28.1) before closing out the mile with a :28.2 final quarter. She won by three and one-quarter lengths. Lakeview Fest finished second for trainer Dan Shetler, while Bar Lady and Peter Wrenn were third.
The filly is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino and Hickory Hollow Stables. The victory was the sixth of Bar Nancy’s career.
In the second $40,000 leg, Jazzi Jo and Sam Widger overtook favourite Skyway Priss in the lane to win by nearly two lengths in 1:57.1. Having started from the rail, the Keystone Savage three-year-old got away third, but moved to the lead for Widger before the opening half (:58.4). Skyway Priss and Wrenn quickly shuffled the duo to second and lead the field into the stretch. Jazzi Jo trotted home in :29.1 to earn her first seasonal win. Beware Angle, sent off at 67-1, finished third.
Jazzi Jo is owned by Byron Hooley’s Summit Pacing Acres. Hooley trains the filly bred by Larry and Kim Owen. Prior to the win, Jazzi Jo had recorded five second-place finishes, including a runner-up spot in the $200,000 final earlier this month.
(Indiana Downs)