The Hoosier state’s top three-year-old pacing colts were in the spotlight on Thursday, September 15 at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in the fifth and final round of the $75,000 preliminary Indiana Sires Stakes finals.
The evening’s 14-race program was primarily ruled by long shots but it was Granite, with Mike Peterson at the lines, who converted a pocket trip and a break by the heavy favourite to pull the biggest upset of the night in the featured event of the evening. At odds of 44-1, Granite stopped the timer in 1:50.4 to win by nearly two lengths and establish a new lifetime best in the process.
Leaving from post one in the talented field of nine, Peterson sent Granite away from the gate firing to protect their early position but would eventually relinquish the lead to the heavy favourite Duel Of Truth and John DeLong at the first quarter in :27.1. Bourbon Chase and Dan Shetler also left well to grab a spot along the rail in third while Matrix Of Luck and Ricky Macomber, Jr. were next in line third.
Duel Of Truth dictated middle fractions of :55.2 and 1:23.1 but was soon joined on the outside by Bourbon Chase with Matrix Of Luck in tow. As the field turned for home, Duel Of Truth and Bourbon Chase were matching strides and the stage was set for an epic battle to the wire.
Duel Of Truth appeared to be up to the task as he was able to put away Bourbon Chase half-way down the lane but Granite was looming large in the pocket. Just as Duel Of Truth seemed to be pacing away from the rest of the field, he made a costly break and took himself out of the race. Granite inherited the lead and paced on to the wire to win by nearly two lengths and hold off a hard-charging Uncmprmising Z Tam and LeWayne Miller. Bourbon Chase held on for third place honours.
As the second longest shot on the board, Granite returned $90.60 to his loyal backers at the betting windows.
“The trip worked out great, it actually couldn’t have worked out any better for us,” Peterson noted in the winner’s circle. “I didn’t know all that much about the hors because last week was the first time I had ever driven him but he raced really well last week too.”
“Coming around the last turn I knew he (Granite) had pace and I was just hoping to get a good check,” he continued. “Every time I asked him though, he dug in a little more. He’s a very nice colt.”
Trained by Melanie Wrenn, the son of Real Desire-Precious Stone notched his third win from 11 seasonal starts. Owned by Gene Oldford Farms LLC, Granite has now won seven of 20 lifetime outings while bankrolling $145,252 in purse earnings in his career.
Live racing will continue at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, September 16 with a 13-race card that is set to begin at 5:45 p.m. Friday’s program will be highlighted by a $21,000 Invitational Pace and will also feature a $6,216.95 Pick-5 carryover beginning in Race 9 and a $3,896.24 Hoosier High 5 carryover in Race 13.
(Hoosier Park)