Lindy The Great, who three weeks ago joined San Pail and Fools Goal as the oldest horses to win the Maple Leaf Trot this century, will next try to capture the second Caesars Trotting Classic of his career when he heads to Harrah’s Hoosier Park for Friday’s $210,000 edition of the Grand Circuit event for older trotters.
A seven-year-old stallion, Lindy The Great is the 5-2 morning-line favourite in the Caesars Trotting Classic. He will start from post two with Andy Miller driving for trainer Julie Miller. He won the Classic in 2019, racing then for trainer Domenico Cecere, and was third last year behind Gimpanzee and Atlanta.
Lindy The Great will enter Friday having hit the board in eight consecutive starts, including second-place finishes in the Spirit of Massachusetts, Crawford Farms Open and Maxie Lee Memorial. He was third in the John Cashman Memorial.
Last year, Lindy The Great finished second in the Maple Leaf Trot. This year, driver James MacDonald guided him to a 1-1/4 lengths victory over Forbidden Trade in 1:51.3 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
“That was pretty exciting, needless to say,” Julie Miller said. “He’s been hovering around that group, and always puts a good effort in, so it’s exciting to get one of those big ones. Everything went his way and had a good drive and it worked out.”
For his career, Lindy The Great has won 19 of 74 races and earned $1.58 million. The son of Crazed-Highscore Kemp is owned by Andy Miller Stable, John Schmucker, John Mehlenbacher and VIP Internet Stable.
“He always gives a hundred per cent every race,” Miller said. “Hopefully, he’s ready to rock (Friday).”
The Caesars Trotting Classic is part of a stakes-filled card at Hoosier Park.
In other stakes action, Catch The Fire, who won the Dan Patch Stakes in August at Hoosier Park, is the 7-2 morning-line favourite in the $182,000 Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby for older pacers. Scott Zeron will drive for trainer Todd Luther. This Is The Plan, who has hit the board in 15 of 18 starts this year and is No. 2 in North American earnings with $724,044 (USD), is 4-1.
The 3-1 favourite in the $130,000 Jenna’s Beach Boy for three-year-old male pacers is Summa Cum Laude for driver Brian Sears and trainer Ron Burke. Virgo, off back-to-back wins in the Indiana Sire Stakes series, is 7-2.
New York Sire Stakes champion Iteration is the 5-2 favourite in the $115,000 Moni Maker for three-year-old female trotters, with Sears in the sulky for Marcus Melander. The race also includes Indiana star Swift Swanda and multiple Grand Circuit winner Darlene Hanover.
Jujubee, who won the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final earlier this month to extend his win streak to four, is the 6-5 favourite in the $100,000 Phil Langley Memorial for three-year-old male trotters. Andy McCarthy will drive for trainer Greg Wright Jr.
In the $200,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes for two-year-old female trotters, New York Sire Stakes champ Joviality S is the 3-5 favourite for Sears and Melander.
The 5-2 favourite in the $200,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes for two-year-old female pacers is Lyons Serenity, who has six wins and a second in seven races this season. Tim Tetrick will drive for trainer Jim King Jr.
Fulfullnmydestiny brings a four-race win streak to the $120,000 Elevation Stakes for two-year-old male pacers and is the 4-5 favourite for trainer/driver James Yoder.
Racing begins at 6:30 p.m. (EDT) Friday at Hoosier Park. For free past performances, visit the Harrah’s Hoosier Park website.
(With files from USTA)