Fly Jesse Fly, with Trace Tetrick at the lines, stormed home a winner to pull off the upset in Thursday’s co-featured event of the evening, the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
Fly Jesse Fly turned in a near gate to wire performance to hold off the heavy betting favourite, Bridge To Jesses, to score in a lifetime best of 1:54.1.
Leaving from post two in the talented field of ten, Fly Jesse Fly was sent away from the gate firing but he would have to work for his position as Sam Widger and JS Livethedream also left aggressively. JS Livethedream found the front through the opening panel in :27.4 but Fly Jesse Fly continued his mission to the front and grabbed command at the half in :57.1. JS Livethedream benefitted from a pocket trip while Bridge To Jesses and John DeLong were content to sit along the rail in fifth.
Fly Jesse Fly went unchallenged to the third station in 1:25.2 and looked strong on the front. As the field turned for home, Bridge To Jesses was underway with Lil Day Drinkin and Walter Haynes, Jr. in tow but he would have his work cut out for him. Tetrick asked Fly Jesse Fly for more and he responded with a :28.4 final quarter to finish three lengths to the good. Bridge To Jesses rallied nicely in the lane but had to settle for second place honours while Lil Day Drinkin rounded out the trifecta. As the 5/2 second choice, Fly Jesse Fly returned $7.00 to his backers at the betting windows.
With the win, Fly Jesse Fly notched his fourth win from eight starts while pushing his seasonal earnings to $85,275. Owned by Robert Sidley and James Otto, the gelded son of Jailhouse Jesse-Flying Rae has now won seven of 21 lifetime outings.
The $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for two-year-old pacing colts also produced a mild upset on the evening as On The Virg and Eric Goodell scored in 1:53.2, a new lifetime best. Also using gate-to-wire tactics, On The Virg notched his second lifetime victory and made a clean sweep of the opening round of the stakes action for the two-year-old pacing colts after scoring in his elimination last week.
Saddled with the outside post nine, On The Virg left aggressively but would be caught wide as Always A Shark and Doug Rideout protected their inside position. On The Virg would reach the front at the opening quarter of :27.1 and dictated fractions of :56.2 and 1:25.3 before coasting home a winner. Using a :27.4 final quarter, On The Virg coasted to the wire to win by a length over Beckhams Z Tam and Ricky Macomber, Jr. Incredible Shark and Sam Widger also rallied gamely in the lane to round out the trifecta. On The Virg returned $12.80 for the win and Meadowbrook Tiger, the heavy betting favourite, was off the ticket.
Owned by R.M. Lombardo, H.A. Taylor, D.C. Kryway, and E.C. Goodell, the gelded son of Always A Virgin-Modern Bobbi scored his second win in two lifetime starts. On The Virg has now earned $47,500 in lifetime purse earnings.
With the wins, both Fly Jesse Fly and On The Virg also earned points for the $200,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Finals slated for October 15 at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. The Indiana Sires Stakes program will culminate with the top ten point earners from the previous $75,000 finals in each division returning to compete in the super finals.
Indiana Sires Stakes action returns to Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, July 8 with the second of five $75,000 finals for the three-year-old pacing fillies and the opening round of $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals for two-year-old pacing fillies. With a daily post time of 5:45 p.m., live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through November 12.
(Hoosier Park)