Over $400,000 in purses were up for grabs in stakes action at Indiana Downs on Saturday night as the Shelbyville, Indiana oval hosted The Elevation and Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes for freshman pacers.
After getting away third and being shuffled back to fifth, Latest Desire managed to stay undefeated in three starts as he sprinted home in :26.3 to win the first $89,600 division of The Elevation for colts in 1:53.2 by a quarter of a length over Real Rocker. Kentucky Sires Stakes champion Duel In The Sun finished third. The Real Desire-Latest Design colt is driven by Rob Pierce and trained by Nick Giberson for Illinois owners Steven Newcom, Larry Taylor, and Tex Moats.
Driven by Matt Kakaley, Dedis Dragon cruised wire-to-wire in 1:52.2 in the $90,600 division with Ron Burke stablemate The Pan Poobah following two and a half lengths behind in second and first over challenger Twilight Bonfire rounding out the top three finishers. The victory was his third in eight career starts. The Dragon Again-Dedis Dream colt is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Phillip Collura, and Tracy Hendler.
Carols Desire brought the Burke brigade back to the winner's circle after she went from last to first to win the opening $118,500 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stake division for fillies in 1:53.3. Kakaley drove the Real Desire-Carolache miss to a quarter-length victory, her first in eight starts, over Exotic Beach and New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Authorize. Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, and Collura share ownership with Randy Ringer.
Sweetheart runner-up Nikki Beach turned back eventual third-place finisher Wherethegirlsare and romped to a three length victory in 1:52.1 in the other $117,250 Kentuckiana division to set a new track record for freshman filly pacers. Her Tony Alagna stablemate came on for second. The Somebeachsomewhere-Western Wisdom filly, owned by Brittany Farms, has now won half of her eight career starts.
Ron Burke Racing tripled up on the card as Open pacer Itrustyou, driven by Ricky Macomber Jr., prevailed in the $22,000 Invitational by half a length over Rocket Fuel in 1:50.4. The four-year-old son of Third Straight notched his 20th career win.