by Emily Gaskin, for Hoosier Park

Anderson, IN — Fine Tuned Lady, with Corey Callahan at the lines, pulled an upset to the tune of 8-1 in the featured event of the evening, the $250,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes for 2-year-old trotting fillies at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday (Sept. 23). The heavily favored Jimmy Takter trainee Ariana G tasted defeat for the first time in her career after breaking stride behind the gate. Taking advantage of the costly break by the post time favorite, Fine Tuned Lady turned in a strong gate-to-wire performance to score her fourth win of the season in 1:56.2.

Linscott Photography photo

Fine Tuned Lady upsets in the $250,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes at Hoosier Park.

With the post time favorite out of contention from the start, Callahan sent Fine Tuned Lady away from the gate firing from post seven. She was able to grab command and dictate soft, first-half fractions of :27.3 and :59.2. Temple Ruins and Ricky Macomber Jr. benefitted from a pocket trip while Tim Tetrick and Sianna Hanover were next in line third.

Fine Tuned Lady remained uncontested to the three-quarter clocking in 1:28.4 before feeling a threat from Can’t I and John Campbell who were applying pressure first-over as the field turned for home, Fine Tuned Lady looked strong on the front and when Callahan asked her for more, she responded with a :27.3 final panel to win by 3-1/2 lengths. Can’t I trotted evenly to finish second while Temple Ruins rounded out the trifecta.

Fine Tuned Lady returned $18.80 to her backers at the betting windows.

“My plan was to leave all along and hopefully track Ariana G and make a run at her late,” Callahan noted after the victory. “I wanted to follow because I think my filly is actually better off a helmet but I was able to get a breather down the backside on the front tonight and she did the rest. She trotted strong all the way to the wire tonight.”

Trained by John Butenschoen, the 2-year-old daughter of Cantab Hall-Poster Princess recorded the fourth win of her young career from eight seasonal starts. Owned by William C. Wiswell and M&L of Delaware LLC, Fine Tuned Lady has now amassed $326,340 in career purse earnings for her connections.

Ariana G was unable to recover from the break behind the gate and finished tenth. However, the Takter-Gingras duo rebounded in the $35,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management consolation with Princess Aurora who scored in a new lifetime best of 1:54.4.

“This filly raced great,” Takter noted in the winner’s circle. “Post nine was just a little tricky for Ariana G. She didn’t like it from the start and things like that happen, especially with 2-year-olds. It was unfortunate for her but she’s such a nice filly, she will be okay.”

Grand Circuit racing action will continue at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday (Sept. 24 ) with a standout card that includes the $220,000 Centaur Trotting Classic, the $246,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes, the $170,000 Hoosier Park Pacing Derby, the $140,000 Elevation Pace and the $100,000 Jenna’s Beach Boy Invitational Pace. The first races will line-up behind the gate at 5:45 p.m.

For more information on the upcoming entertainment and live racing schedule at Hoosier Park, please visit www.hoosierpark.com.