The Hoosier state’s top three-year-old pacing colts were on display at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, July 3 as three $24,000 divisions of Indiana Sires Stakes were featured on the evening’s 14-race card. It was a good night at the office for driver Michael Oosting who doubled up in the stakes action.
Oosting steered the fastest divisional winner of the night as Island Of The Sea used a front-stepping effort to score his third straight victory, tonight in 1:49.3. The 1:49.3 clocking equalled an established best as the sophomore colt remains undefeated in three starts at Hoosier Park this season.
Island of the Sea was eased off the gate through the opening panel in :26.4 and settled along the rail in fourth. As soon as the field straightened away down the backside, Oosting gave his mount the green light and he quickly ranged up to take command. Island Of The Sea cruised through fractions of :55.3 and 1:23.1.
Using a :26.2 final panel, Island Of The Sea was able to hold off a late surge from the defending divisional champion Odds On Osiris with Peter Wrenn. Odds On Osiris was forced to settle for second while The Candyman Can and Sam Widger utilized a ground saving trip to get up for third. Sent off as the 3-5 favourite, Island Of The Sea returned $3.20 to win.
Trained by Shane Bowermaster, Island Of The Sea recorded his third win from four seasonal starts. The gelded son of Always A Virgin-Trinity Island pushed his lifetime earnings to $48,000 for his owners Eric and Lisa Ell.
Oosting scored his second stakes win with trainer Tom Simmon’s Frontier Rollo, who captured his first Indiana Sires Stakes victory with an impressive 1:50.2 score in the final division. Frontier Rollo utilized a pocket trip to record his fourth straight victory this season. With a :26.2 final quarter, Frontier Rollo came out on top after a very tight photo with Frankiepark and Ricky Macomber.
Owned by David Arrenholz and Benita Simmons, Frontier Rollo has now won five of 13 lifetime starts. The 1:50.2 clocking also established a new lifetime best for the son of Time To Roll-Incredible Dodger.
Caribbean Escape turned in a gritty performance to deliver as the heavy favourite in the second split of the stakes action with driver John DeLong in the bike. Sent off at odds of 9-5, DeLong let Caribbean Escape settle off the gate along the rail in fifth. DeLong brushed Caribbean Escape to the front down the backside reaching command just before the three-quarter clocking in 1:23.1. As the field began to close in on the leader, Caribbean Escape dug in gamely late in the late to fend off all challenges and get the win by a length in 1:50.
Trained by K. Dean Glispie, Caribbean Escape recorded his first win of the season and second lifetime victory from eight starts. Owned in partnership by K. Dean Glispie, Barbara Schlagetter, and Gail Potter, the son of Bring On The Beach-Caribbean pushed his lifetime bankroll to $28,892.
Live racing continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, July 4 with 14-race card featuring two divisions of Indiana Sires Stakes action for three-year-old pacing fillies. On Saturday, Harrah’s Hoosier Park will officially welcome spectators back for live racing for the first time this season. Harrah’s Hoosier Park will operate at reduced capacity, in accordance with State of Indiana and the Indiana Horse Racing Commission guidelines. In addition, simulcast operations will also resume at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.
With a daily post time of 6:30 p.m., live racing will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through November 21.
(Hoosier Park)