Indiana Sire Stakes (INSS) action returned to Harrah's Hoosier Park on Wednesday, Aug. 26, with two-year-old pacing fillies and three-year-old trotting fillies stepping into the spotlight during the 14-race card.
Fitterjake and Owleos Pride delivered in the rookie pacing filly contests, and For Dayze and Fresh Face Yankee each cruised as the heavy favourites in the sophomore filly trot splits, which were rescheduled from last week.
Fitterjake, entering the night with an unblemished record and off a track-record-equalling performance in her last, kicked off the stakes action in the first of two $89,726 divisions for pacing fillies
Slotted into post two in line to Anthony Miller, Fitterjake settled in third behind Kountry Legacy (Trace Tetrick), while Ponda Era (Travis Seekman) shot off of the wings to the lead at the first quarter in :27. The order remained unchanged with Ponda Era leading to the halfway mark in :55. The seven-horse field tightened as they approached the turn with Fantastech (Marcus Miller) moving on the outside. Kountry Legacy took the opportunity to strike at the leader, and Fitterjake shadowed her around the final turn and to three-quarters in 1:24.1. Kountry Legacy advanced past Ponda Era as Fitterjake loomed in pursuit. Down the stretch, Fitterjake blasted past that rival through the wire in 1:51 by three-quarters of a length. Kountry Legacy cemented second, while Callie Rocks (Kevin Detweiler) and Jks Fast (John De Long) finished in a dead heat for show.
Fitterjake ($3.60), a daughter of Jk Endofanera-For Sharks Sake, is owned and bred by James Miller and trained by Aaron Stutzman. The win marked the filly's fourth consecutive trip to the winner's circle to start her career. She boosted her career earnings to $144,159.
Owleos Pride, driven by Trace Tetrick for trainer Ricky Macomber Jr., iced out the second field of rookie fillies for her first INSS score.
Owleos Pride, leaving from post five, rode the frontward conveyor belt behind Chancey Lucre (Atlee Bender) and Mystical Jk (Kyle Wilfong) early. Chancey Lucre snagged a contested lead at the first quarter in :27 with Owleos Pride racing to her outside before taking charge moving onto the backstretch. The field was spread out on the backside as Owleos Pride led by two lengths to the half in :54.1. Alexis It Is (Anthony Miller) advanced along the outside, but Owleos Pride maintained a sharp tempo to three-quarters in 1:21.4. Strong on the lead despite the hot pace, Owleos Pride found the wire just in time as a late charge by Mystical Jk just missed by a neck in the 1:49.4 mile. Mystical Jk fired into second, while Era Dominance (David Miller) claimed the show spot.
Owleos Pride took a new lifetime mark with her second victory from five starts, with her earnings climbing to $113,016 in the process. The Jk Endofanera-Mcflirty filly is owned by Jamie Macomber along with breeder James Stonecipher. She paid $6.20 to win.
For Dayze kicked off the sophomore contests in the $67,123 first division, scoring as the 1-9 favourite from post five in the field of seven. For Dayze floated away early, securing a spot in fourth while For Heavens Sake (Brandon Bates) swept to the lead from the outside through a :28 first quarter. Omg Am I Ok (Kyle Wilfong) brushed to the lead from third, taking command before the half in :56.3 when For Dayze left the cones for John De Long. For Dayze drove into second on the rim, tracked every step by Magics Delight (Kevin Lambright) while Omg Am I Ok tripped the timer at three-quarters in 1:26. Turning for home, For Dayze quickly put away Omg Am I Ok and held off one final lunge by Magics Delight, who came up three parts of a length shy of the favourite in the 1:53.4 mile. Dial Nine One One (Marcus Miller) shook loose late between fillies to rally for third.
Roger Welch trains For Dayze, who has won three straight INSS races and five of seven starts on the season for owners William and Patrick De Long. Bred by Ernie Lambright, the daughter of Swan For All-Southwind Storm has banked $538,568 lifetime following her 11th career victory in 17 starts. The win price was $2.20.
In the $112,413 second division, Fresh Face Yankee rebounded from her first defeat of the season with a dominant score from the outside post six.
With trainer Jay Cross in the sulky, Fresh Face Yankee found herself on the outside in fourth behind the duelling Help Cum Laude (Atlee Bender) and Bluebird Kazoom (Jordan Ross) to the first quarter in :27.4. Bluebird Kazoom crossed over to the lead on the backstretch, with Fresh Face Yankee applying immediate pressure and taking over at the half in :56. Fresh Face Yankee opened up a two-length advantage at three-quarters in 1:24.4, and with a motionless Cross in the bike, she cruised by a measured 1-3/4 lengths to score in 1:53 over Bluebird Kazoom. Make It Spicy (Trace Tetrick) rallied from last to be third.
Fresh Face Yankee has won six times in seven starts this season for owner Tim Smith. Bred by Fashion Hill Farms, the daughter of Crescent Fashion-Swan Yankee has a career bankroll of $241,656 with 15 wins in 22 appearances. She returned $3.20.
Live racing continues on Thursday at Hoosier Park with a 14-race program set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. Whoomp and Somemore Blue will reignite their rivalry in the $95,000 USD seventh leg of Indiana Sire Stakes for sophomore pacing fillies in Race 10. The card also has $10,000 guarantees in the Late Pick 4 (Races 11-14) and Late High 5 (Race 14), offered in partnership with the USTA's Strategic Wagering Program.
(With files from Hoosier Park; photo of Fitterjake winning on Aug. 26)