Field established for 2017 Dan Patch Stakes at Hoosier Park
August 9, 2017,by Emily Gaskin, for Hoosier Park
Anderson, IN — A field of ten will be sent postward in the $325,000 Dan Patch Stakes at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday (Aug. 11). Ten of the top rated older pacers in North America will take center stage as they go 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.
The 2017 installment of the Dan Patch Stakes will highlight the 14-race program that is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be supported by an all-star undercard of racing action. The purse money to be distributed throughout the evening will be over the $500,000 mark.
With combined career purse earnings of more than $11 million, the talented field 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 two. With Matt Kakaley listed to drive, the 6-year-old son of Bettor’s 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 eight and nine, respectively.
World champion Freaky Feet Pete will play the role of local fan favorite, starting from post four 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 3-year-old pacing colts, is a winner of more than $1.5 million in lifetime earnings and owns 26 lifetime wins over the Hoosier Park surface.
Also included in the celebrated field of ten, world champion Wakizashi Hanover will make his way back to Hoosier Park for the first time this season and has drawn the trailing post position ten for trainer Jo Ann Looney-King. With more than $1.4 million in lifetime purse earnings, Wakizashi Hanover has been tabbed 9-2 on the morning line with Tim Tetrick at the lines.
The 2017 Dan Patch field, in post position order with named driver and trainer includes:
PP-Horse-Trainer-Driver-Morning Line
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 begins at 9 p.m. 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 the 11th race on the card, estimated post time for the Dan Patch Stakes is 9:46 p.m.
For more information on the upcoming entertainment or live racing schedule, please visit www.hoosierpark.com.
- Hoosier State to be front and center in this week’s Grand Circuit action (Wednesday, August 09, 2017)
An extremely busy week of Grand Circuit action kicks off this Wednesday (Aug. 9) as the Indiana State Fair will host one day of Grand Circuit racing with the feature being the $51,929 Fox Stake for 2-year-old colt pacers.
- Rock N’ Roll World represents hometown quest for Dan Patch title (Wednesday, August 09, 2017)
He may not possess the physical frame, bankroll or the title of world champion which five of his nine rivals in Friday’s (Aug. 11) $325,000 Dan Patch Stakes can boast of, but Rock N’ Roll World can present his own credentials as to why he will be the horse standing in the winner’s circle in Hoosier Park’s signature event.
- McWicked debuts in Hoosier State in search of Dan Patch glory (Thursday, August 10, 2017)
When a horse collects a Dan Patch and O’Brien Award as a 3-year-old, it is rather unusual for he or she to remain in competition as a 6-year-old, especially when that animal is a stallion, yet McWicked, who is also a world champion, is an exception to that general rule. The son of McArdle-Western Sahara may not exactly be in the spotlight at this juncture of the season, but will endeavor to demonstrate why it should be shining upon him after he attempts to add a triumph in the $325,000 Dan Patch Stakes on Friday (Aug. 11) at Hoosier Park to his lengthy list of achievements.