by Tammy Knox, Hoosier Park Publicity Department

Anderson, IN — Eternal Camnation, the richest pacing mare in the history of harness racing, is scheduled to qualify at Hoosier Park on Saturday, March 27. The seven-year-old daughter of Cam Fella is in the sixth race and will start from post nine. Trainer Jeff Miller has named Jay Cross as the driver.

Eternal Camnation began her career at Hoosier Park, winning the $50,000 Genesis Series at two before going on to the national scene. She has multiple awards for year-end honors and now has more than $3 million in career earnings. With 43 career wins, Eternal Camnation has a career best time of 1:49² taken at age five at The Meadowlands.

Ending the 2003 season with nine straight victories, Eternal Camnation usually makes Hoosier Park her debut track each spring before heading into stakes territory. She trains at Miller’s farm in Haviland, Ohio.

Mayflower’s Song earns Sires Stake victory

Mayflower’s Song and driver-trainer-owner Don Eash earned their second win in as many starts on Friday, March 26 in the first division of the $12,000 Indiana Sires Stakes. The duo used a gate-to-wire performance to pull in her second consecutive win for 2004 in a time of 1:56³.

Eash had no worries getting Mayflower’s Song to the lead, passing by the quarter mile marker in :27⁴. The three-year-old Pilgrim’s Punch filly looked at ease as she led the field for the remainder of the mile.

Electric Beauty and Larry Rheinheimer made a move toward the front around the final turn, but Mayflower’s Song kept control of the race, coasting home to the win by three lengths. Indy Dawn, with Brett Miller, made a charging move late to finish second over Cypress Hill Bell and Willie Schwartz, who took advantage of a two hole journey for third.

The win for Mayflower’s Song boosted her career earnings to more than $13,000 with the win. The win time also provided the filly with a new lifetime mark.

In the second of three divisions for the Indiana Sires Stakes, Townline Lily and Joe Essig, Jr. used similar tactics to take home the top prize in the evening’s second race. Trained by Brian Stephens, Townline Lily moved to the front after the first panel in :30.

Essig didn’t see any challengers until the second half of the race, which gave Townline Lily a chance to save up energy for the stretch drive. The Pilgrim’s Punch filly was a winner by three-quarters of a length in a time of 1:58³ over the sloppy track surface. Beyond The Glory and Walter Haynes, Jr. used their best stride in the stretch for second followed by J J’s Pilgrim and Miller for third.

Townline Lily, who has been racing at The Meadowlands, earned her first win of the season for Stephen Siegel of New York, New York. She earned three wins and two seconds in eight outings as a two-year-old, with a career best time of 1:54¹. She increased her bankroll to more than $23,000 with the win.

The third and final division was awarded to Tentuwin Bluegrass and Miller. Miller maneuvered the Mark Johnathan filly into a second over trip, finding room in the stretch to chase down Janica and Neil Coleman at the wire for the victory. Janica was a solid second over Hi Ho Molly and Ed Hensley for third.

Tentuwin Bluegrass was making her first start of the season for owner Dr. Luel Overstreet of Henderson, Kentucky. After winning five of her 12 starts as a two-year-old, the filly made her 2004 return a strong performance, picking up a new lifetime mark of 1:56³. Tentuwin Bluegrass is trained by John Merkel.

Three-year-old pacing fillies will return for the second round of Indiana Sires Stakes action on Friday, April 16. The top fillies of the series will return for the $80,000 final on Saturday, May 29 during Hoosier Cup Night. Purses for the evening will total more than $1 million and will include several special events to complement the card.

Rupert Boneham of Survivor: Pearl Islands and Survivor: All-Stars, will make a special appearance and one lucky fan will drive home in a brand new car courtesy of Payton Wells Auto Group of Anderson, Indiana.

Delmartha makes 2004 debut in Open Trot

Most racing fans around Hoosier Park know trainer Jack Gray, Jr. for his success with free for all pacer Thirty G’s, who was one of the top horses in the midwest in the late 1990’s. Sunday may change that perspective as Gray brings Delmartha to Hoosier Park for the first time.

Owned by Gray, Delmartha is set to make her 2004 debut in the $13,000 Open Handicap Trot. The tenth race on the program has assembled a strong field with Delmartha starting from post six with driver Dan Shetler aboard.

Delmartha completed her three-year-old season with three wins in 16 starts, garnering a bankroll of more than $219,000. The daughter of Conway Hall finished second in her last start of the year in the $500,000 Breeders Crown at The Meadowlands. After two qualifying efforts at The Red Mile, Delmartha is ready for her four-year-old debut in Indiana.

Going up against Delmartha will be Indiana’s top three-year-old trotter of 2003, Big Boy Josh. The four-year-old Prince Pine gelding is the co-holder of the track record for sophomore trotting geldings. He has had one qualifier to prep him for his debut, starting from post four for trainer-driver Charlie Conrad.

Horses in the Open Trot include in post position order with driver: Earl Of Stormont (Haynes Jr.), New Order (Peterson), Duke Of Love (Eash), Big Boy Josh (Conrad), Jolly Jessica (Irvine Jr.), Delmartha (Shetler), Fast Lane K (Norris), DJ Strikes (TBA), Cosmic Crunch (Nickells), and USA Victory (Hodkinson).