Anderson, IN — Three-year-old pacing fillies were the featured attraction at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday (Aug. 20), as they squared off in the fifth round of Indiana Sires Stakes action. Two $48,500 divisions were featured on the evening’s 14-race card.

Cruisin Pearl scored her first Indiana Sires Stakes victory with Sam Widger in the bike. Dean Gillette Photo.

In the first division, Cruisin Pearl (Sam Widger) cruised to a 1:51 1-3/4 length score. The victory was the first stakes score for Cruisin Pearl and also a new lifetime best.

Leaving from post four, Cruisin Pearl was unhurried from the gate and settled along the rail in sixth. Always A Miracle (Ricky Macomber Jr.) and GD Western Joyce (Robert Taylor) were taking turns on the front through first-half fractions of :26 and :54.3. By the time the field reached the three-quarters in 1:22.4, Widger had Cruisin Pearl well placed and ready to strike from second-over.

Utilizing a :27.4 closing kick, Cruisin Pearl surged past her rivals late in the lane to get the victory. Shelly Rockwell (James Yoder) ground out a second-place finish while Uncut Gem (Joey Putnam) also rallied well late for third. Sent off as the public’s second choice, Cruisin Pearl returned $6.20 at the betting windows.

Trained by Henry Graber Jr., the daughter of Always A Virgin—Cruisin Pearl scored her fifth win from 11 starts this season. Owned by Eleven Star Stables, Cruisin Pearl pushed her lifetime purse earnings to $84,285 with the win.

In the second division of the stakes action, Somethingbeautiful (Lewayne Miller) looked every bit the part of a 2-5 favorite as she used similar tactics to coast to a 1:50.4 victory. Trained by Dylan Davis, Somethingbeautiful moved first-over and was able to track down her rivals late in the lane to get the win by nearly two lengths. The 1:50.4 clocking was a new lifetime best for the filly. Like It Like That (Darrell Wright) staged a big rally late in the lane to get up for second while Gd Rockin Kay (Michael Oosting) rounded out the trifecta. As the heavy betting favorite, Somethingbeautiful returned $2.80 to her backers at the betting windows.

Owned by H. Taylor, E. Gold, A. Basen, and R. Lombardo, Somethingbeautiful recorded her 11th-lifetime win from 19 outings. The daughter of Always A Virgin—Summer N Sand has now amassed $418,605 in lifetime purse earnings.

Live racing will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, August 21 with a 14-race card. Saturday’s racing action will include a $22,000 Open Open Pace for fillies and mares. With a daily post time of 6:30 p.m., live racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park will be conducted through December 4. For more information on the upcoming live racing schedule, please visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.