Three-year-old pacing colts performed in their third leg of Indiana Sires Stakes action on Friday, July 31 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Both winners were guided to victory by Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s leading driver Trace Tetrick.
In the first division, Tetrick was victorious with Roll With Time, who prevailed in a tight photo. He then guided Island Of The Sea to a gutsy 1:48.4 victory, just a fifth of a second off of the track record for the division.
Tetrick’s first trip to the winner’s circle was with Tyler George’s Roll With Time in the first $35,000 division of Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. When the gate opened, Roll With Time found a spot in fourth, waiting patiently to attack through fractions of :26.2 and :56. Just after the half, Tetrick urged Roll With Time to make his move for the lead.
When the field reached the three-quarters in 1:23.4, Roll With Time surged ahead of the pacesetting Clever Character and Dale Hiteman. The stretch saw a cavalry charge to the wire that looked to be anyone’s race. Dojea Gizmo with Dan Shelter and Family Recipe with LeWayne Miller fanned out across the track and rallied toward the leader. Digging in gamely, Roll With Time reached the wire first, stopping the clock in 1:50.4. He paid $4.80 to win while Dojea Gizmo finished second and Family Recipe finished third, all within a length of each other.
“The trip worked out the way I planned but he is a versatile colt, too,” Tetrick noted after the win. “Tyler has him in really good shape and he’s racing sharp right now.”
Roll With Time, the son of Time To Roll-Roknrol Bluegrass, now sports a lifetime bankroll of $35,000 for owners Jeff Fought, Brian Carsey and Casey Myers. Bred by Hickory Hollow Stables, he earned his first stakes victory and fifth lifetime victory.
Tetrick steered another winner in Dylan Davis trainee Island Of The Sea. While the betting public was backing Super Final champion Odds On Osiris with Peter Wrenn at the lines, Island Of The Sea waited mid-pack through the early stages of the race. Sitting through fractions of :26.1 and :54.2, Island Of The Sea moved first-over as the field approached the final turn with Dry Creek Sam and Robert Taylor in tow. Odds On Osiris looked strong on the front and continued to call the shots through the three-quarters in 1:22 but Island Of The Sea was gaining on the leader with every stride.
Turning for home, the stage was set for a battle to the wire as Island Of The Sea and Odds On Osiris matched strides down the stretch. Neither wanted to give an inch but it was Island Of The Sea who burst forward by a neck, crossing the wire in a sizzling 1:48.4. Odds On Osiris was forced to settle for second while Crook Boyzz and Brandon Bates finished third. Island Of The Sea paid $14 to win in the minor upset.
“He’s a nice horse--I’ve been watching him since he’s been here,” said Tetrick, who drove the horse for the first time tonight. “He’s very handy and dug in late to get the win.”
Lightly raced as a two-year-old, Island Of The Sea has won six races from nine lifetime starts and boasts a career bankroll of $67,720 for owners Eric and Lisa Ell. The son of Always A Virgin-Trinity Islands was bred by Steve Schmucker.
Indiana Sires Stakes will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Saturday, Aug. 1 with two divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies highlighting the evening’s 14-race card.
(With files from Hoosier Park)