by Emily Gaskin, for Hoosier Park

Anderson, IN — It was a good week to be leading driver Trace Tetrick as he made a clean sweep by winning all four divisions of the opening round of $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday (June 2). Tetrick completed the feat after he steered Dee Rocks to victory in the featured event of the evening, the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for 3-year-old pacing fillies. With a final time of 1:51.2, Dee Rocks staged an incredible rally late in the lane to score her first win of the season and establish a new lifetime best in the process.

Linscottt photo

Dee Rocks and TraceTetrick capture the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for 3-year-oldpacing fillies.

Saddled with the outside post nine, Dee Rocks was unhurried from the gate and got away a worrisome eighth in the field of 10. Virgin Eyes and Michael Oosting protected their rail position to reach the first quarter in a blistering :25.4. Skyway Royalty and LeWayne Miller benefitted from a pocket trip while Always Woggy and Peter Wrenn were next in line third.

Always Woggy wanted her turn on the front and she grabbed the lead just past the half as the torrid pace continued through middle splits of :54.2 and 1:23.4.

As the field rounded the final turn, Sam Widger had LA Always A Martini applying pressure first-over with the post time favorite Voom Or Bang and Dale Hiteman well placed second-over. The quick fractions began to take its toll on Always Woggy and just as she began to retreat, Dee Rocks was winding up to strike from the back of the field. Tetrick tipped Dee Rocks three-wide and she utilized a :26.4 final quarter to get the win by 1-1/2 lengths over Voom Or Bang. Gate Speed and Brandon Bates also rallied well late to round out the trifecta. As the publics’ third choice, De Rocks returned $10.80 to her backers at the betting windows.

“I think the start last week helped tighten her up,” Tetrick noted after the win. “They made some equipment changes that made her a little handier tonight. I thought it was best to take a trip and try to see who I could follow. I knew they would carry us a long way, she’s a very talented filly and did the rest.”

Trained by Dossie Minor, the homebred daughter of Rockin Image-Incredible Katie is owned by Ronald Phillips and John Carver. Dee Rocks has now won 12 of 16 lifetime outings while sending her lifetime earnings over the $200,000 mark with the win. The win capped off a great week for Tetrick who won 13 races on the week, including the three other divisions of the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals earlier in the week.

“I’m just very appreciative to be able to drive good horses for great people,” Tetrick noted of the accomplishment. “Everything worked out for us this week and the horses really showed up.”
Along with the stakes action, two track records were re-established on Saturday as horses sizzled over the Hoosier Park oval. Cue Hall, driven by LeWayne Miller, turned a pocket trip into a 1:52 score in the Open Trot to re-establish the track record for older trotting horses. The previous mark of 1:52.1 was set by Crescent Fashion and Ricky Macomber Jr. in 2017. Trained by Rod Boyd, Cue Hall recorded his second win of the season and establish a new lifetime best. The six-year-old son of Andover Hall-Curli Cue is owned by Robert J. Key.

Just a few races later, Carol’s Z Tam and Michael Oosting used similar pocket sitting tactics to blow past their rivals and stop the timer in 1:49, a new track record for older pacing mares. The previous mark of 1:49.2 was established in 2017 by Au D Lox Bluegrass. It was the second consecutive Hoosier Park victory for Carol’s Z Tam and a new lifetime best. Trained by Jamie Macomber, the four-year-old daughter of Always A Virgin-Electric Sparkle has now won three of nine seasonal outings and 12 of 42 lifetime.

Owned by Z Tam Stables LLC, Carol’s Z Tam has bankrolled $307,954 in lifetime purse earnings.

Live racing will continue at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Tuesday, June 5 with a 12-race card. With a daily post time of 6:30 p.m., live racing at Hoosier Park will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through November 10. For more information on the upcoming entertainment or live racing schedule, please visit www.hoosierpark.com.