Indiana Sires Stakes action continued at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday, July 6 as the evening’s 14-race card was highlighted by the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for two-year-old trotting colts and three-year-old trotting fillies.
It was the opening round of the $75,000 finals for the two-year-old competitors and the second round of $75,000 finals for the sophomore competitors.
Time To Travel, with driver John DeLong in the sulky, made a clean sweep of the opening round of the stakes action for the two-year-old trotting colts as he scored his second consecutive victory in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final. After scoring handily in his elimination last week, Time To Travel overcame the long, first-over grind to win in a new lifetime-best of 1:58.2.
As one of two Jeff Cullipher-trained horses in the field, Time To Travel was unhurried from the gate and settled along the rail in fourth. Jesse V and Ricky Macomber Jr. protected their rail position and left alertly to grab the lead through an opening panel in :29.2. Captain K was content to sit in the pocket with Nutravictory and Jason Dillander next in line third at the half in 1:00.2.
As the field approached the final turn, Jesse V was still calling the shots with a three-quarter clocking in 1:29.4, but DeLong, unable to wait any longer, had Time To Travel aimed at the leader first-over. Nutravictory grabbed the cover and was well placed second-over as the field turned for home.
Jesse V appeared to be up to the task, but Time To Travel continued to rally. Using a :28.1 final quarter, Time To Travel trotted evenly to find the wire first. Jesse V held on gamely for second while Captain K rounded out the trifecta. Time To Travel returned $9.60 to his backers at the betting windows.
“Both of these colts were really nice colts all winter training down,” Cullipher said after the race. “They were perfect all winter. This colt [Time To Travel] is very handy and, after training them both this week, I really thought he would be good tonight.”
Owned by Thomas Pollack and Jeff Cullipher, the gelded son of Jailhouse Jesse-Flanery Hall notched his second victory from three starts. Time To Travel has now bankrolled $48,300 lifetime for his connections.
In the very next race, the state-bred three-year-old trotting fillies were in the spotlight and it was Ooh La La La and Tyler Smith who took home top honours in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final. Using a near gate-to-wire victory, Ooh La La La stopped the timer in 1:54.2 to establish a new lifetime mark.
Leaving from post six, Smith sent Ooh La La La away from the gate firing, but she would have to work for her position as Naughty III and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. also left aggressively from post seven. Naughty III reached the front through the opening panel in :27.4, but her lead would be short-lived as Ooh La La La pressed on.
Ooh La La La dictated middle fractions of :56.1 and 1:25.2 before ever feeling a threat from the rest of the field and, as they turned for home, she had a two-length lead. Naughty III tipped from the pocket, but Oh La La La was able to hold her off and withstand a late rally from Fawn De Savage and Dan Shetler. Fawn De Savage, the heavy betting favourite, closed well, but had too much work to do at the end of the mile and had to settle for second-place honours. Ooh La La La returned $7.60 for the victory.
“She’s been drawing outside so much, I told Tyler [Smith] to leave with her tonight,” trainer Jeff Smith noted after the victory. “I really think she’s better coming from behind, but I knew we had to leave with her tonight. She’s a really nice filly who I think will only get better.”
The victory was the third from six seasonal starts for the daughter of Here Comes Herbie-Dandelion Dust, who has now bankrolled $94,218 this season. Owned by Tdtrot LLC, Ooh La La La has now won six of 17 lifetime outings and surpassed the $100,000 mark for career purse earnings.
With the wins, both Time To Travel and Ooh La La La also earned points for the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Finals slated for October 15 at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. The Indiana Sires Stakes program will culminate with the top 10 point-earners from the previous $75,000 finals in each division returning to compete in the Super Finals.
Indiana Sires Stakes action returns to Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Thursday, July 7 with the second of five $75,000 finals for the three-year-old trotting colts and the opening round of $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals for two-year-old pacing colts.
(Hoosier Park)