Two-year-old pacing fillies were featured in their fourth round of Indiana Sires Stakes action at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Thursday (Sept. 3). Both divisions saw the winners lower their lifetime marks to 1:51.4.
In the first division, Somethingbeautiful turned in an impressive effort to keep her unbeaten streak alive, and the second division saw a minor upset from first-time stakes competitor Something To Me.
The stakes action kicked off with top divisional rivals Somethingbeautiful and Hot Mess Express vying for back-to-back stakes wins. After an impressive stretch battle, it was Somethingbeautiful who remained undefeated and scored her fifth straight victory while establishing a new lifetime mark of 1:51.4.
While Somethingbeautiful and LeWayne Miller were the first out following the gate, Hot Mess Express and Sam Widger quickly moved to the lead in the first turn. The fillies remained in straight formation clocking fractions of :27, :55.4 and 1:25.1, with the rival pair leading the way.
As the field turned for home, Somethingbeautiful tipped from the pocket to attack the leader. The fillies matched strides down the stretch but it was Somethingbeautiful, digging in with a final quarter of :26.2, who reached the line first. Hot Mess Express held on for second, while GD Rockin Kay and Trace Tetrick staged a late rally for third.
Somethingbeautiful paid $3.20 to win.
“I had to ask her for a bit more in the stretch and she really took off,” Miller noted. “She’s very professional for a two-year-old but still knows how to be playful.”
The daughter of Always A Virgin and Summer N Sand now boasts a lifetime bankroll of $84,500 and is undefeated in five lifetime starts. She is owned by Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold, Abraham Basen and Richard Lombardo. The Dylan Davis trainee was bred by Aaron Stutzman.
The second division provided Something To Me her first stakes victory for trainer Michael Arnold. The minor upset lowered Something To Me’s lifetime mark by over two seconds to 1:51.4.
When the wings of the gate opened, Skyway Ideal and Brandon Bates fired out for the lead while Something To Me and John DeLong sat in the pocket. Through the first quarter in :26.4, Something To Me prepared to attack the leader. Something To Me pulled the pocket and grabbed the lead, carrying it handily through the half in :55.4 and three-quarters in 1:24:4.
With the wire in sight, Something To Me opened up on the field, leaving the remaining six to battle for minor spoils. Something To Me stopped the clock in 1:51.4 while four lengths ahead of her competitors, paying $10.20 to win. JK She’s Gordjus and Trace Tetrick rallied late for second, and after sitting in fourth for most of the mile, Sassy Cindy and Peter Wrenn dug in for third.
Owned by Steven Huffman, Something To Me now sports a lifetime bankroll of $33,705 and notched victory number five from eight starts. The daughter of JK Endoranera and Sorcha Bluestone was bred by Bluestone Farms, Carol Agins and Steven Arak.
Indiana Sires Stakes action will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday (Sept. 3) with two $33,000 divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and two $42,500 divisions for two-year-old pacing colts. Post time is 6:30 p.m.
(Harrah's Hoosier Park)