Many of the sport's hardest hitters were in action Friday at Hoosier Park, as the oval hosted a smorgasbord of stakes events for trotters and pacers.
Trot Insider recapped all of the events below:
$240,000 Centaur Trotting Classic – Free-For-All Trot
Homicide Hunter powered home in :27.3 to knock off heavily favoured Hannelore Hanover, much to the delight of the price players that backed the Chris Oakes pupil at odds of 6-1.
I Know My Chip flew to the top from Post 9 and carved out the opening quarter in :26.1 before JL Cruze popped the pocket and took command in the backstretch. JL Cruze marched the field to the half in :54.3, but he came under attack from Hannelore Hanover on the way to the final turn. Hannelore Hanover showed a short lead while racing parked outside of JL Cruze at the three-quarter pole in 1:23.2, but she couldn’t hold on to that lead in the lane. Homicide Hunter, who followed the favourite, out-kicked her home and won by an expanding 1-3/4 lengths. Hannelore Hanover edged out Natural Herbie for the runner-up award.
Crawford Farms Racing of Syracuse, NY owns the five-year-old son of Mr Cantab-Evening Prayer. It was the trotter’s seventh win of the season and the 30th of his career. The lion’s share of the purse helped him become harness racing’s newest millionaire. His earnings climbed to $1,074,858 with the win.
$160,000 Hoosier Park Pacing Derby – Free-For-All Pace
Trainer Ron Burke sent out a three-headed monster in this affair, but to the surprise of some it was All Bets Off who rallied for the win at odds of 7-1 for driver Matt Kakaley.
The veteran enjoyed a three-hole trip for the first half of the mile, while stablemate – and race favourite – Rockin Ron sped away on the lead through first-half fractions of :26.1 and :54.4. All Bets Off charged first-over in the third quarter, and he showed a short lead while racing parked past the three-quarter pole in 1:23. He roared home in a :26-second clip and that was good enough to earn him the one-length decision over Missile J in 1:49. Manhattan Beach rounded out the top three finishers.
It was the fourth win of the season and the 26th to date for the six-year-old son of Bettors Delight-Armbro Penelope. Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Frank Baldachino and The Panhellenic Stb Corp share ownership on the career winner of $2,797,403.
$160,000 Jennas Beach Boy – Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace
Huntsville powered to the lead from Post 4 for driver Tim Tetrick and together they managed to just hold off late pressure from O.S.S. star Sports Column in what turned out to be a fantastic finish.
Sports Column stretched out Huntsville to the quarter in :26.4 before releasing him to the top. Huntsville worked his way to the top and whacked out middle fractions of :54.3 and 1:22.1. Sports Column pressed the leader right to the finish, with Huntsville using a :27-second closing panel to win by a neck over Sports Column in 1:49.1. Beckhams Z Tam was third.
Trainer Ray Schnittker co-owns the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Wild West Show with Ted Gewertz, Steven Arnold and Crawford Farms Racing. The homebred, who went 7-for-11 last year, is 8-for-13 this season. The victory pushed his seasonal earnings over $1 million, while his lifetime bankroll climbed to $1,783,812.
$200,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management – Two-Year-Old Filly Pace
The betting public put a ton of faith in Rainbow Room, and the regally-bred lass didn’t let down her army of backers.
David Miller got away fifth with the 2-5 favourite, and that left the front end of Strong Opinion. That filly put up the opening quarter in :26.2 before Double A Mint marched to the top and sliced out middle splits of :55.4 and 1:24.2. Rainbow Room was first-over at the three-quarter pole, and she used a :27.2 closing quarter to prevail by three-quarters of a length over Majorsspeciallady in 1:52.2. Strong Opinion took home the show dough.
Joe Holloway trains the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Rainbow Blue for Crawford Farms LLC, Val Dor Farms and Ted Gewertz. Purchased for $100,000 at last year’s Lexington Select Yearling Sale, the filly now owns a 6-1-0 record from seven career tries. She’s banked over $310,000 to date.
$160,000 Moni Maker – Three-Year-Old Filly Trot
Sunshine Delight wasn’t in a hurry in the early going, but she got airborne late for driver Brett Miller who rallied her to a 7-1 upset in the rich affair.
Miller got away sixth with the Staffan Lind trainee who watched Evelyn, Ice Attraction and then Treviso take turns on the lead through fractions of :26.4, :57.1 and 1:25.1. Miller grabbed cover late in the mile for Sunshine Delight, and when he called on her to go into ‘spring mode’ in the lane she complied by firing home in :27.1. That earned her the win by 2-3/4 lengths over Future Secured. Treviso took home the show dough.
The daughter of Credit Winner-On The Bright Side won for the second time this season in 12 tries. The three-time winner, who is owned by James G Wilhite, Jr. of Lexington, KY, watched her overall cash stash climb to $305,567 with the victory.
$240,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management – Two-Year-Old Filly Trot
Basquiat made multiple moves throughout the mile for driver Yannick Gingras, who grabbed the late lead with the filly who prevailed in 1:53.4 as a 6-1 outsider.
After parking past the opening quarter in :27, Basquiat eventually worked her way to the lead in backstretch before giving way just a few strides later to Meadow Brook Grace. That foe sliced out middle splits of :56.2 and 1:25.1, but she lacked staying power in the lane. Gingras angled out with Basquiat and she rallied for the win over Custom Cantab and Hey Blondie.
It was the third straight score for the Jimmy Takter-trained daughter of Cantab Hall-Thatsnotmyname. The victory improved her rookie record to 5-2-0 from starts for owner/breeder Order By Stable of Boras, Sweden. The homebred bumped her lifetime earnings to $165,151 with the win.
$125,000 The Elevation – Two-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Pace
Closing Statement fended off heavy pressure in deep stretch and came away victorious in The Elevation for the tandem of driver David Miller and trainer Joe Holloway.
Miller got away in good order with his charge, who watched the opening quarter flash up in :27.3 before making a big move to the lead in the backstretch. Closing Statement went on to carve out middle panels of :54.4 and 1:23 before turning aside a late challenge from GD Western Joe. Closing Statement edged out that foe in 1:50.4, with third prize going to JK Wildfire.
It was the third straight score for the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Ideal Newton who is owned by Val Dor Farms, Rojan Stables and Ted Gewertz. Purchased for $125,000 from last year’s Harrisburg Yearling Sale, Closing Statement now owns a 5-for-8 record and purse earnings of $138,264.