by Tammy Knox, publicity director, Hoosier Park

Anderson, IN — At odds of 6-1, Artriverderci and driver Peter Wrenn grabbed the title in the 11th edition of the $500,000 Hoosier Cup on Saturday night (June 30) at Hoosier Park. The event was part of a special season finale with purses in excess of $1 million. A crowd of 3,496 was in attendance.

Artriverderci began from post three in the bulky field of 11 that included two horses on the second tier. Early plans were to head straight for the lead, but with Mattdultery and Roger Plante, Jr., along with Downtown Showdown and Dale Decker, each moving to the front, Wrenn opted to pull back on Artiverderci until the pace settled down.

Mattdultery was the leader through the quarter in :26 before stablemate Mr Apples and Jim Morand took control in the early backstretch. Artriverderci was the next in line for control of the race.

Once on the lead, Artriverderci looked strong, pacing his way around the turn with authority. In the stretch, several horses began their descent on the leaders, but the Western Ideal colt was solid through the wire in a time of 1:51.3, his first win in seven outings for 2007.

“This is quite a thrill,” said Wrenn, who has more than 6,800 career victories and is fourth in the nation for wins in 2007. “After the early action up front, I wasn’t looking for the lead at that point. But, I didn’t want to get caught on the rail. It actually worked to his advantage the way the race played out.”

Kinetic Yankee and Andy Miller rallied home well, 1-3/4 lengths back for second. Big Al’s Delight and 2007 Hoosier Park leading driver Ricky Macomber, Jr. finished third.

“I have had Peter drive for me before,” said trainer Rene Laarman. “He is a great driver and he gave Artriverderci the perfect trip he needed to win. He was crawling over horses in the New Jersey Classic.”

Artriverderci is owned by Glenview Livestock LTD of Wallenstein, Ontario. He increased his career earnings to more than $500,000 with the victory, his second career win.

Wigwam Baby hails in Sires Stakes Final

Wigwam Baby grabbed a win in the $100,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for older mares. Plowing down the stretch with driver Mark O’Mara, the duo chased Don Eash’s B L Starchip to win at the wire in a time of 1:56.1. The trip to the winner’s circle was the fifth of the season for the young 4-year-old.

“The win was a very good start to the big night for me,” said O’Mara after taking the first race of the evening. “We did not end up drawing the inside for the race. You never know what a bad draw is until the outcome of the race. However, she (Wigwam Baby) prefers being at the back.”

The back is what was requested by O’Mara as Wigwam Baby left the gate from post position seven. A speed duel formed up front early between B L Starchip and Riverbend Cindy. The first quarter was clocked in :27.4.

Wigwam Baby fell back as far as ninth down the backstretch. The battle for the lead continued with B L Starchip sitting in the pocket behind new leader Secret Star and driver Don Irvine, Jr.

B L Starchip took the lead in the stretch after vacating the pocket, coming off three-quarters in 1:27.3. Doing what she does best, Wigwam Baby throttled down the lane, gaining more than two lengths on B L Starchip. Charging to the wire with authority, Wigwam Baby timed her move perfectly to win by a quarter length. B L Starchip finished second. Midnight Mona and driver Jay Cross also rallied to round out the trifecta.

“I knew we were going to pass a bunch of horses coming down the stretch,” said O’Mara. “I just didn’t know how many. It looked as if she (Wigwam Baby) was going to get there in time to win.”

Wigwam Baby returned $4.00, $2.60, and $2.20 for the victory. The win was the 14th of her career. The $50,000 winner’s check skyrocketed her lifetime earnings to over $94,000. Don Swartzentruber of Loogootee, Ind. owns the daughter of Padre Hanover. Robert Wagler trains Wigwam Baby. She won the Indiana Sires Stakes prep last weekend before taking Saturday’s final.

“The connections had her (Wigwam Baby) very sharp for the race,” said O’Mara. “I was asked to drive her last week in the prep. Things worked out then, and they were nice enough to put me back on her tonight.”

Ideal Queen trots to Sires Stakes Final win

Ideal Queen, with driver Dan Shetler, won her second Indiana Sires Stakes Final in as many years on Saturday in the $100,000 Final for 3-year-old trotting fillies. Ideal Queen cleared at the half and did not look back, trotting the mile in 1:58. ABC Bay Bee and Joe Putnam finished the mile 3-1/4 lengths back in second. Osacanuc Bluegrass and Ricky Macomber, Jr. finished the mile strong in third.

“I didn’t want to get in an early battle for the front,” said Shetler. “I really wanted to catch cover. I won a Sires Stakes race with this horse last year and she has always been good from behind. I was able to get away with some light fractions. Big Z Wisdom was definitely the one to beat on paper.”

Mike Hollenback moved Ponda Girl out quickly for the lead from the far outside. HSR Lady Star and Mike Peterson picked up next in line, with Awesome Andrea and Don Eash getting away well in third. Ideal Queen found room in sixth position as the field rounded the opening turn. Ponda Girl led the field to a :27.4 lively opening quarter.

Clearing for the lead just past the half-mile marker was Ideal Queen. Heavy race favorites Big Z Wisdom and Joe Essig, Jr. were first up on the outside, but suffered a break and all chances. ABC Bay Bee picked up the pocket seat in second. Ideal Queen had been the frontrunner at the first-quarter pole in each of her three previous starts.

Once taking the lead, Ideal Queen and Shetler put the rest of the field in their dust. Using a :28.3 closing quarter, the pair teamed up for a win in their first start together this season.

“You have to rate her, and she was able to relax a bit when the mare (Big Z Wisdom) broke stride,” said trainer Verlin Yoder. “If (Big Z Wisdom) is on, she is tough to beat. I hope she (Ideal Queen) goes on to have a great career. Ideal Queen showed me in the winter she really wanted to be a racehorse.”

Ideal Queen returned $10.20, $3.20, and $2.80. Verlin Yoder of Columbia City, Ind. owns and trains. The win is the fourth of the season, and the 10th time in 11 starts the daughter of New And Notable has finished in the top two. The mark of 1:58 is a new lifetime best.

Summer In Fiji upset winner in Sires Stakes Final

Summer In Fiji upset stablemate Go On BB to win the $100,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for 3-year-old pacing fillies. Picking up driver Andy Miller for the first time, the daughter of Whitefish Falls paced to a Sires Stakes record time of 1:51.3. Finishing the mile 2-1/4 lengths back in second was Go On BB and Ricky Macomber, Jr.

“She has been making some breaks lately,” said Miller. “Mickey (Burke) told me they made some changes and that she would be pretty good. I was a little careful with her in the turns. I wanted to be up close somewhere and things worked out for the pocket. She had plenty of pace late.”

Taking the early advantage was Summer In Fiji from the far outside. Martha’s Revenge and Hoosier Park’s all-time leading driver Don Irvine, Jr. picked up the pocket seat, with Go On BB getting away well in third. Summer In Fiji led the field to a fast paced :27 opening quarter.

Relegating Summer In Fiji to the pocket seat was Go On BB and Macomber. The pair used a sweeping move to clear for the lead before the half-mile marker. This move proved to be the difference, allowing Summer In Fiji to receive a much needed pocket trip.

The 3-year old filly has had trouble staying flat, and tonight she was sound every step of the way.

Miller waited until midway through the stretch to move Summer In Fiji. After qualifying at The Meadows just four days prior, the daughter of Whitefish Falls was in top form when it counted most. Using a :27.1 closing quarter, Summer In Fiji proved to everyone there is more to the Mickey Burke-trained entry than just Go On BB.

“We went to a shorter hopple that is also heavier,” said Mickey Burke, Jr. “She just needed to get steady. We have always said she is the faster of the two fillies. With all she has gone through in the last few weeks, with qualifying and traveling, she just has been amazing. Now that she’s sound we can hopefully roll with both of them.”

Summer In Fiji returned $2.20 and $2.10 as part of the heavily favored entry. Frank Baldachino of Clarksburg, N.J. owns. It is the ninth career victory for the 3-year old, who now has over $140,000 in lifetime earnings.

Search Engine prevails in Sires Stakes Final

Search Engine prevailed to repeat as an Indiana Sires Stakes champion. Holding off a late charging Rocket Fuel, Search Engine took the $100,000 final by the slimmest of margins to win by just a head in 1:52.3. Search Engine gave driver Mark O’Mara his second Indiana Sires Stakes final of the evening.

Search Engine decided to take things easy at the start of the one mile event. From the second tier in post position 10, O’Mara settled back in the fifth position around the clubhouse turn.

Full Of Cinnamon and driver Joe Putnam set a blazing speed fest at the head of the pack. The longshot tandem chased quarters of :26.1, :54.2, and 1:24.2, respectively. A quiet Search Engine vaguely capitalized from the amazing fractions, grabbing the lead after flying from three-wide at the top of the stretch.

Search Engine nursed a three length advantage heading down the lane. A wake-up call followed shortly, courtesy of Rocket Fuel and driver Jay Cross. Weaving through traffic, Rocket Fuel tried to shoot the gap, barely missing Search Engine at the wire.

Search Engine would hang on for the win. Rocket Fuel had to settle for second. Catmando and driver Joe Essig, Jr. also benefited from the early action, rallying in the stretch to get up for third.

“I tried not to get him all fired up at the start of the race,” said O’Mara. “The fast fractions were even too fast for us. I heard Rocket Fuel coming for us very hard in the stretch.”

Search Engine paid $3.20, $2.10, and $2.10 as the heavy post time favorite. The winner’s share of $50,000 sends Search Engine’s career earnings to over $136,000 for owner and breeder George McClarnon of Greenfield, Ind. Dave White trains the son of Electric Yankee.

Haynes wins training title

Sara Haynes became the first female trainer of any breed to win the training title at Hoosier Park. Haynes scored 31 wins during the 2007 meet to earn the title by two wins over Mike Weller.

A native of nearby Daleville, Ind., Sara and her husband, Walter Haynes, Jr., oversee the training of 25 horses at their farm just north of Hoosier Park. They have teamed up for good meets in the past with top 10 finishes, but the 2007 season placed them near the lead throughout the entire 61-day meet.

“We were so close the past two years for the title at Indiana Downs, but we always came up short by two wins,” said Sara. “It always came down to the last night of the meet. We’ve had a really good year this year, and it’s nice to get the title.”

Haynes’ success continued through the end of the season, winning the final race on the Hoosier Cup race card with Fearless Sahbra. The 7-year-old horse was driven by Walter Jr., who finished the meet in fifth place on the leading driver standings.

The Haynes Stable heads to Indiana Downs following the meet at Hoosier Park.

— Ryan Hubbard and Brad Meadows also contributed to this report