Sally will look to finish her strong performance in the Indiana Sires Stakes series Saturday, July 10 at Hoosier Park. She has fared well thus far in the three-year-old trotting filly division, claiming the top spot in two of the four preliminary legs and finishing second in the other two.
Sally will be going up against some tough competition in the $200,000 final on Hoosier Champions night. The filly to beat will no doubt be Msnaughtybynature, who has swept her Indiana Sires Stakes races. She beat Sally by seven lengths in the second leg held during Hoosier Cup Night Saturday, May 29.
Sally has pleased her associates up to this point in the season with her impressive sires stakes showings. The three-year-old also gave a nice performance in 'The Ralph & Dorothy Rose' series earlier this year. After finishing ninth in the first leg, she came back to finish second in leg two and went on to win the $30,000 final.
Sally has earned $80,000 for owner Teri Hostetler and her husband, Greg, who also trains the trotter. This is Greg’s first chance at a Sires Stakes final victory since Great Navigator won it at Hoosier Park in 1999.
Mark O’Mara has done a nice job driving Sally all year. He will once again sit in the sulky behind Sally for the final.
O’Mara, who has more than 2,100 career wins, has extended experience with stakes horses. He was the driver and trainer of standout pacer Jate Lobell, winner of more than $2.2 million in the mid 1980s.
“She (Sally) has been a nice, honest filly for us all year,” said O’Mara. “It helps us to draw into the other division (from Msnaughtybynature.) We have gotten some good trips and earned some nice cheques with her and hope to get a little luck in the final.”
In the fourth leg of the Indiana Sires Stakes, O’Mara had Sally close at the end to nudge out a victory over Sipn Lucid and Walter Haynes, Jr. The Primetime Ranger filly trotted from the fourth spot on the inside the entire race, saving her energy for the final eighth. Sally made her move on the inside, trotting the final quarter in :30 to pick up the win.
Although Sally might not be the favourite on Hoosier Champions night when she goes up against Msnaughtybynature, she’s as good of a horse as any to pull the upset and will almost certainly finish in the money in the $200,000 final.
(Hoosier)