Indiana Sire Stakes action resumed at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, Aug. 22 with a pair of $69,444 splits of the seventh and penultimate leg for sophomore pacing colts, and two $93,056 divisions of leg four of six for two-year-old trotting fillies.
Undefeated this season, Rock Shines Again remained perfect through nine sophomore starts as the leading driver/trainer combo of Trace Tetrick and Tyler George swept both glamour boy divisions.
Rock Shines Again was sent away as the 1-9 favourite from post five in his split, landing in the fifth position on the first turn while stablemate Rawtn Tale (Marcus Miller) grabbed the lead through a :26.2 first quarter. Avanti (John De Long) rocketed from fourth to take over before the half in :56 when Rock Shines Again took his turn at the top, brushing to the lead from fifth and clearing into the final turn. After reaching three-quarters in 1:23.4, Rock Shines Again powered away in the lane, romping by 5-1/4 lengths over a hard-charging Bikini Chaser (Joey Putnam) at 51-1. The runner-up edged out TL Thunder Bolt (Atlee Bender), who was 31-1.
Locally owned by Rick Redder and T G Stable, the gelded son of Rockin Image-Bikini Star has banked nearly $170,000 this year after a winless rookie campaign.
Earlier, Rock Shines Again’s stablemate, Somemore Soaring, punched through for his first stakes victory of the season, getting the nod as the 2-1 co-favourite with Tetrick aboard.
Somemore Soaring glided out to the top from post seven, leading the field of eight through an opening quarter of :26.3. Deal The Odds (Joey Putnam) moved from fourth to the lead on the backstretch, as the two favourites lined up one-two to the half in :55. Somemore Soaring began to swell in the pocket for Tetrick around the last turn as pressure came to Deal The Odds with Starlit Millertime (Kyle Wilfong) first-over at three-quarters in 1:23.3. Deal The Odds repelled the challenge of Starlit Millertime, but began to drift off the cones allowing Somemore Soaring to fire through in :27.1 to snag the victory by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:51. Trainer Joe Putnam finished second and third, with Deal The Odds fending off stablemate Seeitsayit (LeWayne Miller) for the place spot.
Somemore Soaring, a gelded son of Luck Be Withyou-Sunflower, has won three of eight starts on the year and has seasonal earnings topping $60,000 for local owner Cassie Georgie.
Trace Tetrick also notched a win in the two-year-old trotting filly stakes, scoring with OMG Am I Ok as she made her first start for new trainer Ron Burke.
Leaving from the rail in the field scratched to nine, Tetrick got away third with the 9-5 favourite while Make It Spicy (Kyle Husted) raced to the inside of Clear And Cool (Jordan Ross), cutting the quarter in :28.2. Clear And Cool cleared before the half in :58.2 before OMG Am I Ok forced the hand of pocket-sitter Make It Spicy, flushing the cover at three-quarters in 1:28.2 as the two began to swarm the leader. Make It Spicy got to the lead turning for home, when OMG Am I OK uncorked a :27.3 last fraction to track her down and get to the line first in 1:56.3 by three parts of a length. Honeymoon (Kevin Lambright) rallied to be third, 2-3/4 lengths behind the winner.
OMG Am I Ok, who had four prior top three finishes, broke her maiden in her seventh career try. She now races for FAC Racing of Scarsdale, New York and Michael Dolan of Sarasota, Florida. The daughter of You Know You Do-J As Ayd has earnings approaching $80,000.
In the other division, For Dayze and driver John De Long delivered as the 2-5 favourite over a hard-charging Expressive Gal (Atlee Bender).
For Dayze and De Long floated out in fifth from post seven while Meadowbrook Ashley (Doug Rideout) led to charge to the first turn and a quarter of :27.2. The field remained single file to the half in :57.4 when For Dayze began her first-over journey, moving into second at three-quarters in 1:27.4 with Expressive Gal tracking her cover. For Dayze steamrolled past Meadowbrook Ashley before digging in and fending off a fast-closing Expressive Gal by a nose on the wire in a career best 1:56. Help Cum Laude (Aaron Stutzman) split rivals late to rally for the show spot over Meadowbrook Ashley.
Roger Welch trains the winning daughter of Swan For All-Southwind Storm for owners William De Long of Clinton, Wisconsin and Patrick De Long of South Beloit, Illinois. For Dayze has won four of her six races and has yet to be worse than second in her career while banking more than $160,000.
The week of racing concludes at Hoosier on Saturday, Aug. 23 with a 13-race card set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. The Saturday card features three divisions of the fourth leg of Indiana Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts to go along with an Open Trot and Filly & Mare Open Pace.
(With files from Hoosier Park)