Anderson, IN — It was the freshman pacing fillies turn in Indiana Sires Stakes action at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday (July 10). Four divisions highlighted the evening’s 14-race card as the fillies took to their first round of stakes action. After heavy rains in the area, the track was rated sloppy and the divisions provided a mix of favorites and prices with victories from Priceless, Foxy Rigger, Mystical Carrie and Flirtinwithtrouble.

Priceless coasted on to the wire with a 5-1/4 length lead and stopped the timer in 1:53.1. Linscott Photography.

Kicking off the stakes action, post time favorite Priceless with Brandon Bates made her career debut a winning one after she turned in a gate-to-wire performance in her $36,000 division. Priceless went right to the front, closely followed by Rocksann with John De Long while Princess Sharktank with James Yoder sat along the rail in third.

The field remained in single file order through fractions of :27.4, :57.4 and 1:26.1. With a final quarter of :27, Priceless coasted on to the wire with a 5-1/4 length lead and stopped the timer in 1:53.1. Rocksann finished second and Princess Sharktank rounded out the trifecta.

“I figured I was going to step out and see how the race unfolded,” trainer/driver Brandon Bates stated after the victory. “I put her on the front and she did the work. She does everything right and acts like an aged horse.

“Kevin Miller trained her down this winter and then contacted me about taking her because he wanted her to be centrally located. He did a great job with her.”

In her first lifetime start, Priceless paid $3.20 to win, and brought her lifetime earnings to $18,000. The daughter of Rockin Image-Btwnyurheartnmine is owned by Kevin Miller and Bert Hochsprung.

In the $36,500 second division, the betting public was backing Foxy Rigger with Trace Tetrick and they were able to deliver a victory.

Once the gate opened, Western Sierra with Brandon Bates went for the lead with Passionate Tigress and Odell Cross in second and Foxy Rigger following in third. By the first quarter in :27.2, Western Sierra came first-over and moved to the lead. Once the horses hit the half in :56.1, Foxy Rigger wanted her turn on the front and had taken the lead, leaving Passionate Tigress in second and Western Sierra in third.

At the third quarter in 1:25.4, Foxy Rigger began to bolster her lead, two lengths ahead of the field. Stopping the clock at 1:54.1, Foxy Rigger had a five length lead on the rest of the field, while Western Sierra finished second and Elite Five with Kyle Wilfong finished third.

“She can be a little tough at times,” trainer Brian Brown expressed after the race. “We’re going to add some equipment and go from there. I have to give credit to Tim Lane who trained her down all winter. He and his girls did a great job with her. We purchased her after her second qualifier. She’s my kind of filly. She’s a big, strong, beautiful filly.”

Post time favorite Foxy Rigger paid $2.60 at the betting windows. The daughter of Riggins-Foxy Angel is owned by Country Club Acres, L & H Management Services, Lombardo/Green Racing and Tim Lane, and now boasts $23,250 in lifetime purse earnings.

The night’s Sires Stakes card proved to be a good night for trainer James Eaton, who swept the final two divisions.

Mystical Carrier and driver Mike Oosting staged a big rally late in the lane to find the winner’s circle in 1:54.2 in their $36,000 split of the stakes action.

When the gate opened, Kickin Up My Heels with Trace Tetrick went right to the front from post six, while Seventimesacharm with John De Long followed in second. The field remained in straight alignment through fractions of :28.3, :58.2 and 1:27.2 with Mystical Carrie and Oosting waiting patiently in third.

Once the pack reached the stretch, Mystical Carrie was given the green light and she ranged up to challenge the leaders. With a final quarter of :26.3, she paced strong to the wire to get the win over Kickin Up My Heels. Mystical Carrie paid $8.40 for the victory.

“Last week was her first start, so we were just getting a feel for her,” Oosting noted after the victory. “I couldn’t have asked for a better trip — it was the perfect trip. She’s a very nice filly.”

Mystical Carrie is trained by James Eaton. The homebred daughter of Tellitlikeitis-Mystical Victress brought her lifetime earnings to $20,500 for owner Mystical Marker Farms.

Eaton would find the winner’s circle once more on the evening in the $36,500 last division of the stakes action as Flirtinwithtrouble and John De Long bested their rivals in 1:54.

Once the race began, Molon Labe with Dale Hiteman went right to the lead, followed by Townline Adios with LeWayne Miller and Always In Motion with Trace Tetrick occupying the third spot. When the field reached the first quarter, Always In Motion made a bid at the leaders and reached command by the half in :57.1.

By the time the horses passed the three-quarter mark, Delong had Flirtinwithtrouble out and firing and she secured the lead turning for home. Flirtinwithtrouble paced strong to the wire to finish 3-1/4 lengths in front of a hard-charging Odds On Madison and Peter Wrenn. Slightly dismissed at the betting windows, Flirtinwithtrouble returned $8.40.

The daughter of Tellitlikeitis-Rock N Roan now sports a lifetime bankroll of $21,750 for owners Mystical Marker Farms, F Langley, James Eaton and John Schwarz Jr. Flirtinwithtrouble is now two for two this season.

Indiana Sires Stakes action will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Thursday (July 11) with four divisions for the 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The 14-race card will also feature the $10,000 guaranteed Pick-4 beginning in race three and a $10,000 guaranteed Hoosier High-5 in race 14.

With a daily post time of 6:30 pm, live racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through Nov. 9. For more information on the upcoming entertainment or live racing schedule, please visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.