Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to Indiana Sires Stakes action on Wednesday (Sept. 11), featuring one $92,000 division for three-year-old trotting fillies and two $64,000 divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies. Grace Rocks stole the show, as she continued her divisional dominance in the two-year-old pacing filly ranks with her sixth straight victory.
With driver Sam Widger in the sulky, Grace Rocks made her game winning move down the backside en route to a decisive 1:52.4 score.
Unhurried from the gate, Grace Rocks settled along the rail in fifth while Atoritotell and Dale Hiteman carved out fractions of :27.3 and :56.2. Widger gave Grace Rocks the green light down the backside, and the filly ranged up to clear the lead just before three-quarters in 1:25. As the field turned for home, Grace Rocks looked strong and used a :27.4 closing quarter to win by nearly two lengths over Odds On Melanie and Peter Wrenn. Seventimesacharm and John DeLong rallied late in the lane for third. As the 2-5 favourite, Grace Rocks returned $2.80.
“She’s just a sweetheart,” Widger said after the victory. “She does everything right. You can race her any way you want. She’s just a nice filly in every aspect.”
Trained by Ronnie Roberts, Grace Rocks recorded her sixth straight lifetime victory from seven outings and her fourth straight Indiana Sires Stakes victory. Owned by Howard Taylor, the daughter of Rockin Image and Cosmic Grace became the sport’s newest $100,000 winner with the win. Grace Rocks was bred by Victory Hill Farm.
In the second stakes division for two-year-old pacing fillies, Foxy Rigger rebounded gamely with a 1:51.1 score. After suffering the first loss of her young career in the last round, Foxy Rigger finished nearly four lengths in front of her competition and established a new lifetime best in the process.
Driven by Trace Tetrick, Foxy Rigger left alertly to grab a spot in third through the opening panel in :26.1. Early leader Flirtinwithtrouble and Sam Widger yielded to Foxy Rigger just before the half in :54.4. Foxy Rigger led the field to the three-quarters in 1:23.3 before sprinting to the wire to finish nearly four lengths in front of a fast-closing Somebodyslilly and Mike Oosting. Rocksann and John DeLong used a ground-saving trip to get up for third. As the betting public's second choice, Foxy Rigger returned $6.80.
“There was a lot of movement early but I wanted to get good position,” Tetrick noted after the win. “She’s maturing a lot. We’ve made some equipment changes in her last few starts and it has seemed to really help her.”
The Brian Brown trainee recorded her sixth victory from seven lifetime outings. Owned in partnership by Country Club Acres, L&H Management Services, Richard Lombardo and Green Racing, Foxy Rigger now sports a lifetime bankroll of $122,875. The daughter of Riggins and Foxy Angel was bred by Wilker Family Farms.
In the $92,000 three-year-old filly trot, Grand Swan turned in an impressive performance of her own to make amends after an uncharacteristic break in last week. Driven by trainer LeWayne Miller, Grand Swan overcame a first-over trip and track down the heavily favoured Measuredperfection late in the lane to equal her established best of 1:53.1.
Leaving from post eight, Grand Swan left just enough to get a spot along the rail in fourth through the opening quarter in :27.3. Miller waited patiently while Measuredperfection and Trace Tetrick clicked off middle fractions of :56 and 1:24.2. When the field turned for home, Grand Swan matched strides with the leader from first-over. Using a :28.3 final panel, Grand Swan wore down Measuredperfection and held off a late surge from Haylie Ivy and Ricky Macomber Jr. to win by a length. As the 2-1 second choice, Grand Swan returned $6.40.
“I changed her shoes last week and I don’t think she liked it too well,” Miller noted after the win. “I changed her back, qualified her and she was back to normal. She actually likes that trip — she likes to chase horses so it worked out for us.”
Grand Swan recorded her sixth win from eight seasonal outings and sports a lifetime record of 20-14-4-0. The daughter of Swan For All and Queen Mum is owned in partnership by Grand Swan Racing, Go Fast Stable and Never 2 Late Stable and has amassed $360,250 in lifetime purse earnings. Grand Swan was bred by Larry E. Miller Jr.
Indiana Sires Stakes action will roll on at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Thursday (Sept. 12) with two $68,000 divisions for the two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The evening’s 12-race card will also feature a $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 sequence in races three through six and a $10,000 guaranteed Hoosier High-5 in race 12.
(Harrah's Hoosier Park)