by Mike Wandishin, for Indiana Downs

Shelbyville, IN — In the weekly Invitational Trot at Indiana Downs, Cosmic Crunch took full advantage of a rare good post and posted a solid wire-to-wire win for trainer-driver Brooke Nickells on Thursday evening.

“Crunch” left from the three hole, after the scratch of BL Bright Willie, and immediately cleared to the top. Major Digby (Dan Shetler) pressed for the lead but had to take a two hole after it became apparent that Nickells wasn’t going to give up the lead. Nickells and “Crunch” rolled along on the lead through honest fractions of :28⁴, :58⁴ and 1:28 for the first three-quarters.

At the head of the lane “Crunch” just pulled away from the pack to score a decisive two and a half length win, stopping the timer in 1:55⁴. Platinum Boy (Joe Putnam) trotted a strong uncovered final half to grab the place spot over Major Digby, but was never a threat to the winner. Lotsa Credit saved ground to be fourth and Winds Of Spur grabbed the final check. Delmartha was never a factor and finished sixth.

Nickells said, “Other than early Major Digby, no one took a shot at us and he just trotted off at the top of the stretch.”

The win was “Crunch’s” sixth in 12 tries this season and increased his earnings to over $63,000.

In good news for the local open trotters, Nickells said, “We will be heading to the Dygert (eliminations) next weekend and hope to make the final.”

Nickells continued, “We trained Crunch for Dr. Bennett (of Bemaire Farm) and we turned him around, but then Dr. Bennett was going to quit with him so we began to lease him. He has plenty of heart but isn’t always sound and has some little problems. He does want to race, has a great attitude and we give him lots of love and carrots at the barn.”

Nickells, who has had a lot of success with trotters in the past including being the trainer of 2001 Hambletonian fourth place finisher Lavecster, and has driven several top trotters in her career, said, “He’s not the fastest trotter, but he always gives you everything he’s got and he’s made some nice money for us. I have to rank him up with the top horses that I’ve driven. This winter we gave him 30 days of rest, but kept him from getting all the way down, then we started back with him. I hope to bring him back next year also and we’ll deal with his small problems as they come.”

Are Those Real is back on track

Are Those Real returned to the races after a month’s vacation on Friday night and won her fourth race of the season via the overland route for driver Jeff Cullipher.

Are Those Real sat patiently on the rail as the early speed Tracy Lou (Jimmy Whisman) was hard used to make the top in :28 flat; Whisman backed the pace down a little as the field hit the half in :57¹. As the field reached the three-quarter mark (1:26), Tracy Lou still had the lead but Floodwatch (Willie Schwartz) was at her throat latch applying pressure and Are Those Real loomed a threatening presence second over. As they straightened away for home Are Those Real found another gear, tipped off cover and left these for dead. Are Those Real paced the mile in 1:53² winning by open lengths. Renee’s Queen (Dan Shetler) closed well to grab the place and New Girl In Town (Joe Essig, Jr.) overcame a shuffle to show.

Senia Rebecca Lawson owns the winner, who is trained by Roger Cullipher and driven by Jeff Cullipher, who has taken over the driving duties for the Cullipher Stable until Roger recovers from his injuries incurred in an accident at Hoosier Park this spring.

Street Sign returns on Saturday

Saturday night’s Invitational Pace features the return of track record holder Street Sign. Street Sign paced a 1:51 mile last fall to set the record. The five-year-old son of Life Sign has made almost $50,000 this season, and is trained by Peter Foley for owners J & J Como Jr. Inc. of Towaco, New Jersey. Ricky Macomber, Jr. will be handling the driving duties and they will leave from post nine at morning line odds of 5-1.

Don Irvine, Jr. will be handling Fritzie Cam for trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. and this gelded son of Cambest will be starting from post seven and is the morning line choice at 3-1. Last week “Fritzie”, owned by Joseph V. Muscara of Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania, splashed to a meet’s fastest 1:52 mile on a track that had been pelted by monsoon-like rains before the card.

Second choice here is the Dale B. Peterson’s owned and trained Bayside Hall, in rein to Todd Warren, who was second to Fritzie Cam last week from the rail and this week starts from post four and is rated at 4-1 on the morning line.

In the sub-features, My Chief, driven by Brian Barnes, has been made the morning line choice in the Indiana Sired Three-Year-Old Open. My Chief, who has added salix (lasix) since winning the $92,000 Indiana Sires Stake Final at Hoosier Park in May, has made almost $60,000 this season and is a 2-1 choice.

In the second sub-feature, a $30,000 to $40,000 claiming handicap, Boyish Charm, driven by Jay Cross, is the 3-1 morning line choice and starts for a tag of $40,000. Here And Gone will be driven by Ricky Macomber, Jr. and is the 7-2 second choice after defeating these last week. Bluebird Hi Ho is the third choice and appears to have regained his early season form as he unleashed an electrifying rally to close from eighth last week and finish third by a length. This week Don Irvine, Jr. will handle Bluebird and his morning line is 4-1.

The 12 race card begins at 6:55 p.m.