A field of ten will head postward for the $325,000 Dan Patch Stakes at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, August 11.
Ten of the top rated older pacers in North America will take centre stage as they head to post seeking glory in the 24th installment of Hoosier Park’s premier harness racing event. Due to a supplemental entry completing the field of ten, the Dan Patch Stakes will boast an increased purse of $325,000 for the second consecutive year.
With combined career purse earnings over $11 million, the talented field of ten includes five world champions and five millionaires. North America’s leading money-winning trainer, Ron Burke, will send out a strong contingent of three in the field, as he looks to score his second training victory in the Dan Patch Stakes.
As the richest horse in the field with $2.4 million in lifetime purse earnings, All Bets Off will play the role of morning line choice at odds of 7-2 from Post 2. With Matt Kakaley listed to drive, the six-year-old son of Bettors Delight-Armbro Penelope will be looking to make amends for the Burke barn after a third-place finish in the 2016 edition of the Dan Patch Stakes. Stablemates Rockin Ron and Check Six will start from Post 8 and 9, respectively.
World champion Freaky Feet Pete will play the role of local fan favourite and will start from Post 4. He has been assessed at odds of 8-1 on the morning line. Hoosier Park’s all-time leading driver, Trace Tetrick, has been enlisted to drive Freaky Feet Pete for trainer Marty Rheinheimer. Freaky Feet Pete, the winner of the 2015 Breeders Crown final for three-year-old pacing colts, is a winner of over $1.5 million in lifetime earnings and owns 26 lifetime wins over the Hoosier Park surface.
Also included in the celebrated field of ten is world champion Wakizashi Hanover, who will make his way back to Hoosier Park for the first time this season. He has drawn the trailing Post 10 for trainer Jo Ann Looney-King. With over $1.4 million in lifetime purse earnings, Wakizashi Hanover has been tabbed at 9-2 on the morning line with driver Tim Tetrick at the lines.
$325,000 Dan Patch Stakes
(Post – Horse – Trainer – Driver –Morning Line Odds)
1 – Dealt A Winner – Mark Silva – Aaron Merriman – 15-1
2 – All Bets Off – Ron Burke – Matt Kakaley – 7-2
3 – McWicked – Casie Coleman – David Miller – 5-1
4 – Freaky Feet Pete – Marty Rheinheimer – Trace Tetrick – 8-1
5 – Manhattan Beach – Walter Haynes Jr. – Sam Widger – 30-1
6 – Dr J Hanover – Tony Alagna – John De Long – 10-1
7 – Rock N Roll World – Jeff Cullipher – John De Long – 10-1
8 – Rockin Ron – Ron Burke – Ricky Macomber Jr. – 6-1
9 – Check Six – Ron Burke – Yannick Gingras – 4-1
10 – Wakizashi Hanover – Jo Ann Looney-King – Tim Tetrick – 9-2
In a continued partnership with Hoosier Park, the local news station WISH TV Channel 8 out of Indianapolis will provide exclusive coverage for all the Dan Patch Stakes racing action at Hoosier Park on Friday. WISH-TV will be on property to provide racing fans with exclusive coverage of all the festivities happening on and off the race track. Racing fans can also catch exclusive interviews from drivers and trainers racing at Hoosier Park throughout the evening. WISH-TV’s live coverage will begin at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, August 11 and will include the live showing of the Dan Patch Stakes.
The race will be part of a special weekend tagged as ‘Dan Patch Festival Weekend.’ Hoosier Park will showcase some of the most notable names in harness racing alongside special wagers, free t-shirts, VIP giveaways, and interactive family-friendly entertainment.
Racing fans will have the opportunity to participate in two special wagers offered for the Dan Patch card. A $20,000 Guaranteed Dan Patch Superfecta pool will be available along with a $15,000 Guaranteed Hoosier-High Five pool on the last race of the program as part of the Strategic Wagering Program. Each wager is available through the cooperative efforts of the United States Trotting Association, Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and the Indiana Standardbred Association.
Five lucky racing fans will also have the opportunity to place a $500 win bet on the horse of their choice in the Dan Patch Stakes. Slated as Race 11 on the card, the estimated post time for the Dan Patch Stakes is 9:46 p.m.
(Hoosier Park)