When Tellmeaboutit competes in the $300,000 Dan Patch Stakes on Friday, Aug. 11 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, the pacer will attempt to make history as the first locally based competitor to win the Dan Patch in its 30-year history.
“He didn’t do as well last year as he did the first year,” said Alvin Miller, the horse’s conditioner and co-owner with Twila Harts. “He was ninth, but the year before he was second from the nine-hole. I never thought he had a chance from that post, but he was right there and lost by neck. Let’s see how we do this time.”
In this year’s Dan Patch, Tellmeaboutit will leave from post position two with Michael Oosting holding the lines. The seven-year-old is 15-1 on the morning line in the field of 11, which is the first time this contest has included more than 10 entrants.
The son of Tellitlikeitis is also one of a trio of horses who is a Hoosier Park regular, including former track record holder Little Rocket Man and Indiana champion Ponda Warrior. Ohio champion Charlie May is the 3-1 favourite.
“It’s not an easy race for sure,” said Miller. “But he proved he belongs.”
He most certainly has.
Tellmeaboutit has earned $859,805 and has compiled a record of 97-29-25-21. Not bad for a $25,000 yearling at the 2017 Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale.
“He is from the first crop of Tellitlikeitis so there was that, but I really liked the mare,” said Miller. “Whenever I select horses I’m always more attracted to a strong female family and his dam was very strong.”
Portia Blue Chip, Tellmeaboutit’s dam, is a daughter of Bettors Delight and a half sibling to world champion Hypnotic Blue Chip (by Art Major), who earned more than $1.79 million in his career. Portia Blue Chip made $84,442 during her racing career but has been a star in the breeding shed. She has produced 12 foals, 10 of which have won and five progeny have eclipsed the $100,000 mark. Tellmeaboutit is her most prolific offspring.
The seven-year-old gelding kicked off his career in 2018 as a two-year-old by banking $84,500 with a resume of 11-5-2-1. It was as a sophomore, however, Tellmeaboutit began to shine. His record was 16-6-5-5 and he collected his first Indiana championship. He won his second title as a four-year-old and third as a six-year-old. He also established his lifetime mark of 1:47.4 over the Anderson, Indiana oval last year.
“He has always been a sound horse with only the basic maintenance stuff,” said Miller. “He still can carry his speed despite being kind of a lazy horse training. He puffs up on the racetrack when he knows it’s time to go.”
Miller and Harts have also enjoyed success with Midwest standouts Rocket Fuel, a 40-time winner who made 198 starts and collected $784,006 in purse money, and Indiana champion Topville Cadillac. Miller admits he never thought he would have another horse like Rocket Fuel, but Tellmeaboutit comes quite close.
“He’s a lot like Rocket Fuel,” said Miller. “If you didn’t bear down on him training in the morning, he would jog a 20-minute mile. Tellmeaboutit is the same way, and he behaves like Rocket Fuel in so many other ways. They are both very low maintenance horses that are good to be around and when it came time to go on the track, they were ready to go. Topville Cadillac was a bit tough. She was tough to train, tough to get rigged up and just tough. But we’ve been lucky to have some very nice horses while just sticking around here.”
Miller acknowledges the quality of horseflesh Tellmeaboutit is facing Friday evening, but he’s confident his horse will acquit himself admirably.
“He maybe doesn’t go as hard as he used to every mile, but he still has the speed to be out there,” he said. “Also, you never know if you have one that will be good enough to even get into a race like this and when you do have one, you don’t know if they will come along again. When you make it in, you have to go because you can’t win if you are not in.
“Winning the Dan Patch would mean the world to me being here in Indiana. It’s your home track, your hometown and a race you dream of winning if you are in this business even if you are not from here. This is a prestigious race.”
Miller acknowledges Tellmeaboutit receives plenty of extra attention around the barn, but how much more affection would come his way if he came home first in the Dan Patch?
“Even more than he already has,” said Miller. “That’s for sure.”
The 2023 Dan Patch field is listed below in post position order.
$300,000 Dan Patch Stakes
Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line Odds
1. Abuckabett Hanover - Andrew Harris - Scott Zeron - 8-1
2. Tellmeaboutit - Alvin Miller - Michael Oosting - 15-1
3. This Is The Plan - Ron Burke - Trace Tetrick - 20-1
4. Lous Pearlman - Ron Burke - David Miller - 6-1
5. Southwind Gendry - Ron Burke - Brandon Bates - 8-1
6. Linedrive Hanover - Anthony Beaton - James MacDonald - 9-2
7. Captain Kirk - Todd Luther - Ricky Macomber Jr. - 20-1
8. Little Rocket Man - Ken Rucker - John De Long - 7-2
9. Whichwaytothebeach - Garry Merner Jr. - Peter Wrenn - 20-1
10. Charlie May - Steve Carter - Brett Miller - 3-1
11. Ponda Warrior - Jay Hochstetler - Kyle Wilong - 12-1
The Dan Patch Stakes has long served as Indiana’s richest harness race and is reputed as one of North America’s premier races for older male pacers. Along with a star-studded field, Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s Dan Patch festival weekend will feature guaranteed wagers, handicapping contests, carnival games, food trucks and more. In addition to the family-friendly atmosphere, the first 300 fans in the door will receive a commemorative Dan Patch t-shirt. First post is 6:15 p.m.
(With files from Hoosier Park)