Sophomore trotting colts & geldings took another turn in Indiana Sires Stakes action on Thursday, September 19 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. The evening’s card was highlighted by two $47,000 divisions in leg seven of eight for the division as the horses prepare for the upcoming Stakes Super Finals next month. Favourites prevailed in both divisions with victories from Martini Show and Swandre The Giant.
After a scratch of morning line choice Its A Herbie in the first division, the race appeared to be wide open. The new pick of the betting public, Martini Show, happily claimed the role of favourite and delivered with Sam Widger guiding the colt to the winner’s circle. The winning time of 1:53:4 was a new lifetime mark for the Jeff Cullipher trainee as he also recorded back-to-back stakes victories.
When the gate opened, Wow Lester with Trace Tetrick grabbed the lead while Martini Show waited patiently in third. The field remained in straight formation as Wow Lester clicked off fractions of :27.2, :56.1 and 1:24.4. Once the horses turned for home, Widger had Martini Show on the attack first-over. Martini Show ranged up to match strides with the leader before digging in late in the lane to get the win by a head. He was followed by Smooth Acceleration with Ricky Macomber Jr. and Gotwuteverittakes with LeWayne Miller. Martini Show returned $3.00 at the betting windows.
“He had to work for it a bit tonight,” driver Sam Widger noted in the winner’s circle. “He’s only going to go as hard as you tell him but he takes care of himself. He’s a nice colt to drive.”
With tonight’s victory, Martini Show has now won six of 25 lifetime starts and sports a lifetime bankroll of $184,640 for owners Pollack Racing and Jeffrey Cullipher. The son of Swan For All-Bar Maid was bred by Steven Mast.
After racing in the 2019 Little Brown Jug earlier in the evening, Hall Of Famer David Miller arrived to Harrah’s Hoosier Park just in time to steer Swandre The Giant to a victory in the second division of the stakes action. After making a costly break at Mohawk last week, Swandre The Giant rebounded with a decisive gate-to-wire effort to score in 1:53.
Swan On A Mission and John De Long took the early lead while Swandre The Giant grabbed a pocket seat. Once the field hit the opening quarter in :27, Swandre The Giant wanted his turn on the front and led the field through middle splits of :56.1and 1:23. Turning for home, the only challenger was DGs Caviar with Andy Shetler, but ultimately Swandre The Giant prevailed with DGs Caviar settling for second while Sign Here N Here with Brandon Bates in third. Swandre the Giant paid $2.40 to win.
“After last week’s break, they put his regular shoes back on him,” driver David Miller noted after the win. “He was really comfortable tonight, and raced really nice and easy. He’s definitely back on track.”
Swandre The Giant, the son of Swan For All-Adagio, has now won six of 13 lifetime starts. He now boasts a lifetime bankroll of $496,993 for owners Diamond Creek Racing, J&T Silva Stables and Howard Taylor. The Ron Burke trainee was bred by DM Stables.
Live racing action will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, September 20 with a star-studded card of Grand Circuit Action. The evening’s live racing card will be highlighted by the $200,000 Caesars Trotting Classic in Race 11 and the $175,000 Hoosier Park Pacing Derby in Race 12. Indiana Sires Stakes action will return to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Saturday, September 21 with a 13-race card featuring two divisions for the three-year-old pacing fillies.
(Hoosier)