Despite a delayed start to the card due to strong thunderstorms moving through the Anderson area, the action on the racetrack was fast and furious on Thursday, Aug. 1 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Two divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes for sophomore pacing and trotting colts on the 14-race card featured factoring favourites, with glamour boys Sabonis and Tellmeitmatters each extending their lengthy win streaks.
Sabonis stepped into the spotlight first to win his seventh straight on the season in the $68,750 first division for pacing colts with regular pilot Joey Putnam aboard. Leaving from the rail, the 1-9 favourite got away third in the field in the field of six while Shooting In Place (Driven by Jordan Ross) led to the opening quarter in :27.1. Dale Yea (Marvin Luna) popped the pocket on the backstretch to take command to the half in :55 before leading to three-quarters in 1:23.3, while Sabonis tipped from third. Sabonis quickly powered along side the leader turning for home before pacing away with a :26 last quarter to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Dale Yea in 1:50.
Trained by Aaron Stutzman for owner Pat Miller, Sabonis (pictured above) is now a 10-time winner in 11 seasonal outings. The son of Tellitlikeitis-Gypsy Bellevue was bred by Karl Miller and now boasts a career bankroll of $239,920.
Tellmeitmatters immediately followed suit in the very next race to extend his win streak to six in the $69,444 second division. Driver John De Long took the 1-5 bettor’s choice back to fourth in the field of seven early as M Ms Bud (Jay Cross) cut the quarter in :26.4. M Ms Bud went unchallenged to the half in :55 before Tellmeitmatters began his patented first-over grind to move within a half-length of the leader at three-quarters in 1:23. Rocketing home in :26.4, Tellmeitmatters powered clear by 2-1/2 lengths in the lane to stop the timer in 1:49.4 over M Ms Bud.
After finishing third in his three-year-old debut, Tellmeitmatters has gone unbeaten since with the six straight victories for trainer Roger Welch. The gelded homebred son of Tellitlikeitis-Art Matters has banked $342,050 lifetime for owners William and Patrick De Long.
Earlier on the card, Dashing Danny extended his current win streak to three at 1-5 to take the $70,139 first division of Indiana Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts. Driver Kyle Wilfong opted to change tactics and take back to sixth early as Trace Tetrick hustled CS Flying Co Pilot to the front through a quarter of :27.3. CS Flying Co Pilot remained a loose leader on the backstretch, leading to the half in :56.2 in the sloppy going. Musclefantastic (Robert Taylor) started the outer flow from third with Dashing Danny on his back second-over in pursuit of CS Flying Co Pilot who led to three-quarters in 1:25.2. Dashing Danny catapulted off cover turning for home, trotting home in :28.3 to charge to a two-length victory in 1:54.4. Customer Support (Jay Cross) rallied at 63-1 for the place position.
Jeff Cullipher trains and co-owns Dashing Danny, a four-time winner in five seasonal starts along with Pollack Racing. The gelded son of Dover Dan-Sashay was bred by Steve Stewart and Black Creek Farm and has now earned $337,389.
Gruesome Twosome returned to Indiana following his first defeat of the season in the Stanley Dancer at The Meadowlands with an impressive front-end score in the $69,444 second division. Starting from the outside post seven, Gruesome Twosome and driver Daryl Bontrager found themselves parked to the quarter in :27.3 to the outside of Elhelpski (Pete Wrenn). Gruesome Twosome cleared on the backstretch before reaching the halfway point in :56.1. Knowyoucando (Kyle Wilfong) was the first to challenge the 1-5 favorite, reaching the leader’s wheel at three-quarters in 1:25.2. Gruesome Twosome fended off the challenge before opening up by 2-1/2 lengths on the line over Knowyoucando to score the victory in 1:53.3.
A winner in four of five this season, Gruesome Twosome is trained and co-owned by Bontrager along with Ira Steinberg. Now a 10-time winner in his career, the son of You Know You Do-All Set Lets Go was bred by Merle Yoder and sports career earnings of $378,021.
Friday night’s card features a carryover of $50,819.47 in the Jackpot Pick 6 (Races 8-13) to go along with the $10,000 guarantee in the Hoosier High 5 (Race 14). First post on Friday is 6:15 p.m.
Friday also marks one-week until Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s signature pacing event, the 31st edition of the $300,000 USD Dan Patch Stakes presented by Indiana Standardbred Breed Development on Friday, Aug. 9. The field will be drawn for the Dan Patch on Tuesday, Aug. 6 live on The Night Drive pre-race show and on the Hoosier Park AV YouTube channel beginning at 5:45 p.m.
(Harrah’s Hoosier Park)