While heavy rain and storms cut the card of harness racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park short after the tenth race on Saturday, Aug. 16, three-year-old filly pacers put on a show before hand with the sixth leg of Indiana Sire Stakes. Heavy favourites went down in both $67,361 splits, with Wunderkindbluechip pulling a 21-1 shocker in the first, and Angelatyourfeet upending Tarshish for the second consecutive week as the 5-2 second choice in the second.
In the first division, Atlee Bender had the call on Wunderkindbluechip where the duo left from post four in the field of five. Bender hustled the longshot off the wings, landing on top through an opening quarter of :26.2 with 1-5 favourite Canttouchthese (John De Long) parked and pressing to her outside. Canttouchthese was released to the top on the backstretch, leading to the half in :55 when Miss Fancy Nancy (Trace Tetrick) charged first-over from third, racing to the leader’s wheel at three-quarters in 1:24.1.
Miss Fancy Nancy moved alongside Canttouchthese at the top of the stretch when Bender swung Wunderkindbluechip wide off the cones to take aim at the dueling leaders. Pacing home in :27.3 into the headwind, Wunderkindbluechip surged late to reach the wire a half-length in front of Miss Fancy Nancy in 1:52, with Canttouchthese fading to third three-lengths back.
Trained by Erv Miller for owners Jerry Graham, Louis Willinger and Doug Overhiser, Wunderkindbluechip notched her second victory 12 tries this season. The daughter of JK Endofanera-Seen At Rio Deo has banked $102,901 on the year and $253,541 for her career.
The second division went to Angelatyourfeet and driver Jordan Ross (pictured above) as they edged out 1-5 favourite Tarshish (Marvin Luna) in a three-across thriller. Angelatyourfeet got away in third early while Tarshish sprinted to an early lead in the field of six through a :26.4 first quarter. The field remained in straight alignment behind the bettors’ choice through middle half fractions of :55.2 and 1:23.1.
Luna began to go to work in the bike turning for home as Ross angled Angelatyourfeet off the cones from third and began to close. Gobbling up the 2-1/2 length deficit she faced at three-quarters, Angelatyourfeet charged alongside Tarshish in deep stretch while Vel Cinderella (Trace Tetrick) rallied from last to make it a three-filly race. Behind the strength of a :27 final quarter, Angelatyourfeet got to the wire a half-length in front of both Tarshish and Vel Cinderella respectively to stop the clock in 1:50.3.
The victorious three-year-old rookie daughter of Freaky Feet Pete-Jump Jive And Jam is trained by Henry Graber Jr. for owners Indiana Stables, Frank Baldachino, Michael Rosenthal and Backroad Stable. Angelatyourfeet has won five of 12 on the season, good for earnings of $124,648.
Live harness racing returns to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Tuesday, Aug. 19 with a 13-race card set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. The card features $7,500 guarantees in both the Late Pick 4 (races 10-13) and Late Hoosier High 5 (race 13) done in partnership with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program.
(Harrah’s Hoosier Park)