from Indiana Downs

Shelbyville, IN — Indiana Downs hosted a first-ever Indiana Summer Championships on Saturday, August 25, offering over $1 million in purses. A total of 10 Indiana Sires Stakes champions were crowned throughout the 14-race program. With the Shelbyville oval primed for record miles, three stakes marks fell and several lifetime best performances were turned in during a spectacular evening of racing.

The million-dollar program kicked off with the $85,000 ISS final for freshman trotting fillies. Mya Tri, undefeated in five starts, improved her record to six straight with a wire-to-wire triumph, scoring a 1:59.2 victory. Miracle Sprout finished 1-1/2 lengths back in second while Cabernet Kisses was third.

“She’s done everything right so far,” said co-owner and driver Walter Haynes, Jr. “She hasn’t raced in a month, so she was a little racy.”

Moving to the lead from post three, Haynes and the Pining Fora Tri freshman clicked off fractions of :29.2, 1:00.4 and 1:31.1 before trotting home in :28.1 to seal the win.

With three straight victories coming off a qualifier, Mya Tri was scratched sick out of the last preliminary ISS contest on August 15. The Sara Haynes-trained filly returned from a throat infection and foot problems to trot two-fifths off her lifetime best.

“I didn’t expect her to race a last quarter like that,” Haynes added afterward. “She was tired at the end.”

Bred and co-owned by Bob Wientjes of Louisville, Mya Tri has banked nearly $59,000 in her short career.

Second choice ABC Mercedes used Indiana Downs’ long stretch to grind out a victory in the $85,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for freshman trotting colts on Saturday evening. With trainer Joe Putnam in the sulky, the ABC Garland gelding surged to a half-length advantage at the wire in 1:58.4.

“I didn’t think we had a chance. He has a lot of go, and once we straightened out I knew he had trot,” Putnam said of sweeping four-wide out of the last turn. “We had a long ways to come. Fortunately it’s a long stretch.”

The Larry Miller-owned gelding raced sixth throughout the mile before advancing to the front following favorite Smokin Toast. As Brandon’s Secret brought the field through the turn the outside flow began to stall, forcing Putnam to the outside. The leader, guided by Don Irvine, Jr., couldn’t hold off ABC Mercedes in the stretch, managing second. Seven Bends was third. The winning time established a new lifetime mark for the gelding, bred by Perry Coblentz.

Sophomore trotting filly Spunky’s Dream turned in a record performance in her $100,000 ISS contest. In rein to Irvine, the Derrybeg 3-year-old established a lifetime and stakes best mark with a 1:56.2 clocking. ABC Bay Bee finished 3-3/4 lengths back in second. Favorite CC Snickers raced third.

“I wanted to get away close. I knew she had good gate speed,” Irvine explained. “She’s come a long way in five weeks. She’s just getting better all the time.”

Spunky’s Dream, part of a two-horse Dan Perdue entry, lined up fourth in the final. When the gate sprang, Indiana Downs’ leading driver hustled the filly to a spot behind pacesetter Enchantress K, driven by Haynes. Spunky’s Dream sat in the pocket until the bottom turn, when Irvine pulled from the pylons to challenge for the lead. The 3-year-old dashed home in :28.1 to collect her fifth win of the season.

The partnership of Dan Perdue and Shady Lane Meadows enjoyed a banner night at Indiana Downs. Two races after watching Spunky’s Dream win in record time the group celebrated another Indiana Sires Stakes victory. This time it was Robin I Scoot, driven by Mike Peterson, who set a new stakes record en route to a 1:52.4 victory in the $85,000 ISS final for freshman pacing colts.

“I didn’t want to let him roll. I just kept him comfortable. He was well within himself,” Peterson said of placing the second choice on the lead.

Leaving from post three, Robin I Scoot made the top quickly, racing to the quarter in :28.2. Once the field straightened out on the backside, favorite Freddyscooter brushed to the lead from fifth. Now in the pocket, Peterson patiently waited to make his move.

At the top of the lane he asked the I Scoot Hanover gelding, who responded with a :26.1 final panel to win by 4-1/2 lengths. The favorite finished second while Dollar Capital and Irvine completed the trifecta.

A winner in six of 10 lifetime starts, Robin I Scoot now possesses earnings in excess of $66,000. The gelding shaved more than a second off his previous best in the victory.

In what may have been the best battle of the night, Rocket Fuel and Search Engine engaged in a tough stretch duel in the $100,000 ISS final for sophomore pacing colts. Rocket Fuel, piloted by Jay Cross, prevailed by 1-1/4 lengths over the favorite to stop the clock in 1:52.

“I got to follow the horse I really needed to,” Cross explained. “He carried me all the way to the head of the stretch.”

Starting from the second tier, Cross left the gate sixth with Rocket Fuel, sitting behind Search Engine and Mark O’Mara. When the favorite moved from fifth, the Alvin Miller-trained entry followed. Coming out of the final turn Search Engine took the lead, but Rocket Fuel was mounting a challenge. The two sophomores fought through the lane before Cross gained the upper hand late to win. Full Of Power was a distant third.

“I wasn’t sure he was going to catch him,” the trainer said afterward. “He’s usually coming hard at the end. He’s got a lot of heart.”

Owned by Phil Harts, Rocket Fuel has enjoyed a solid campaign. Unraced at 2, the Dontgetinmyway gelding added his eighth win of the season. A runner-up in the ISS final at Hoosier Park, Rocket Fuel has earned $117,000 this year. The winning time set a lifetime best mark.

Get Down Sally collected the $100,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for older mare pacers with a 1:52.3 effort. The Dream Work 4-year-old, driven by Joe Essig, Jr., scored a mild upset as the fourth choice, finishing three-quarters of a length in front. Kentucky Brew closed for second and Velvet Eileen raced third.

“She had a perfect trip and it couldn’t have worked out better for her,” Essig said. “Everything worked out perfect for her.”

Bred and owned by Stanley Crowe of Lebanon, Ohio, Get Down Sally won for the fifth time this season. The mare, trained by Jonathan Crowe, pushed her lifetime earnings to $148,000.

New And Notable colt DC Northern cruised to a 1:56.1 victory in the $100,000 final for sophomore trotting colts with a 1:56.1 score. Combined with victories in the $100,000 ISS final at Hoosier Park and the Maple City Trot earlier this summer, DC Northern earned the Hoosier Home Run, picking up a $25,000 bonus. Super Discipline finished second and Dr Potts was third.

“I didn’t think anyone could trot home with him. I just let him coast to the wire,” driver Dan Shetler commented. “It’s about all he wanted. He’s had a bit of a tough campaign.”

With seven wins in 13 starts this season, DC Northern has accumulated nearly $133,000 in earnings. He is owned and trained by Lester Raber.

EJ’s Copperstone kept her undefeated streak intact Saturday night, wiring the field in the $85,000 ISS final for freshman filly pacers. Driven by Irvine for trainer Steve Gray, the Lease On Life 2-year-old earned her fifth win in as many starts, stopping the clock in 1:53.2. The time was one-fifth of a second off the stakes record.

“She’s just a real good filly,” Irvine said in a winner’s circle interview.

Irvine left from post four with EJ’s Copperstone, cutting the mile with fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:25.1. Coming out of the turn the filly began to separate herself from the field, winning by seven at the wire. LBS Scootin Coffee finished second while longshot Nifty And Thrifty raced third.

“He’s taken real good care of her all along,” Gray said of Irvine. “He’s taught her how to race.”

EJ’s Copperstone is owned by breeders L J Stone and Phillip Hawk. The first foal of ISS champion E J’s Delite has earned close to $68,000 this season. The time knocked nearly two seconds off her previous best.

Irvine annexed his third stakes victory of the night when he steered Universal Star to a stakes record performance in the $100,000 ISS final for older trotters. The 6-year-old Keep It A Secret gelding romped by nearly seven lengths in 1:53. He is trained by Irvine’s wife, Renee, who is a co-owner with Jackie Richard and Sally Jo Richard.

“He’s just been a real good horse over the last three years,” commented Irvine.

Already a winner of nearly $121,000 going into the final, Universal Star added $50,000 to his card. His career tally stands at just over $346,000. He dropped three-fifths of a second off his previous best in the triumph.

The evening’s Indiana Sires Stakes action was capped by yet another impressive outing by 3-year-old filly Go On BB. Driven by Ricky Macomber, Jr., the daughter of Dontgetinmyway easily wired the field in the $100,000 final for sophomore pacers, idling to the wire in 1:52. Glory G finished 1-1/4 lengths back in second while Francie’s Dream was third.

“She’s really easy to drive,” Macomber noted. “She just makes my job easy, that’s all.”

Go On BB has been virtually unbeatable this season. She has won 14 of 16 starts for trainer Mickey Burke, earning almost $220,000. Owned by Frank Baldachino, her career tally exceeds $295,000.

“She has the Courageous Lady and then she’s done,” said Burke, who was in attendance for the final. “It will be interesting next year to see how she does against older horses. I think she can go with them.”