Indiana-sired two-year-old trotters were the featured attraction at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Tuesday as the evening’s 14-race card was highlighted by a pair of $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals for the freshmen trotters.
Custom Cantab and driver Peter Wrenn made a clean sweep of the second round of stakes action as they scored their second consecutive Hoosier Park victory, this time in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for two-year-old trotting fillies. After scoring handily in her elimination last week, Custom Cantab rallied gamely late in the lane to score in a new lifetime best of 1:55.3.
In a race ruled by miscues, Custom Cantab sat patiently on the rail through splits of :27.2 and :56.4 before making her move. Verlin Yoder had the heavily favoured O So Easy on the front just before the three-quarter mark in 1:26.2 and her lead was ever-increasing. As the field turned for home, Wrenn asked Custom Cantab for more and the filly utilized a :29 closing panel to track down O So Easy in the final stages of the mile and get the win by a head.
“She’s a perfect filly to drive,” Wrenn noted in the winner’s circle. “She’s still a little green so the trip actually worked out perfect for us. She’s not ready to be out there on the front but I think it will actually make her a better filly in the long run.”
Trained and co-owned by Christopher Beaver, the daughter of Mr Cantab-Custom Model recorded her second seasonal victory from four outings in 2017. Custom Cantab has now bankrolled $71,250 in lifetime purse earnings for owners Christopher Beaver, Donald E. Robinson, and RBH Ventures Inc.
All On Black and John DeLong also made a clean sweep of the stakes action for the two-year-old trotting colts—scoring tonight in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final in 1:56.2. With the win, All On Black established a new lifetime best and also remains undefeated in three starts in 2017.
DeLong sent All On Black away from the gate to get the first call before yielding the lead to Skyway Torpedo and Peter Wrenn. Skyway Torpedo dictated fractions of :28, :57.2, and 1:27.2 before feeling a threat from the rest of the field. As the field turned for home, DeLong found late racing room up the passing lane and All On Black responded with a :28.4 closing quarter to get the win by a head.
Trained by Jenny Melander, the gelded son of Swan For All-Right On Renee has now earned $54,000 in lifetime purse earnings. All On Black is owned in partnership by Gabriella’s LLC and Melander Racing Inc.
“He was a little sick early on when we were training down,” Melander noted after the victory. “That’s why we missed the first round of the stakes action here but he’s always been a nice colt we’ve just had to take our time with him.”
(Hoosier Park)