from the Hoosier Park Publicity Department
Anderson, IN — Who says the girls beating the boys is difficult? The slogan was proven wrong when American Tribute beat the males to win the $24,200 Invitational Trot on Sunday, May 22 at Hoosier Park. Hoosier Park/Jim Linscott Photo American Tribute was a winner in the Sunday feature at Hoosier Park. The four-year-old mare, driven by
Trotting the mile in 1:56.3, a tick off of her lifetime mark, it was the second time she has beaten older horses and geldings this season at the Anderson track.
“She (American Tribute) raced really big tonight,” said Cullipher. “She warmed up good before the race. She has been racing really well all season long. I didn’t want to be on the front, but that’s where we ended up.”
A break by post time favorite Hope’s Victory and driver Brett Miller at the start left the door wide open for anyone to take the lead. Honor The Cash and driver Don Harmon made a bid for the front as the duo led the field of ten to the first quarter in :28.1.
Cullipher wasted no time as he brought American Tribute around the first turn and to the lead heading down the backstretch. Cosmic Crunch and driver Brooke Nickells were the only pair to give American Tribute any trouble as they were nose and nose at the half-mile marker, which came and went in :56.4.
“I was not able to get a breather with Nickells’ horse (Cosmic Crunch) being on the outside,” said Cullipher. “I wasn’t concerned with the speed duel, though. My horse (American Tribute) still put in a good race.”
After the three-quarters in 1:26.1, the race was all American Tribute’s to lose. She extended her lead to some two lengths. Charging late in deep stretch was Rose Run Ferrari and driver Greg Grismore. But the race belonged to American Tribute as she went on to victory by one and one-quarter lengths. Rose Run Ferrari held on for second. Muscles Marinara and driver Peter Wrenn rallied late to finish third.
American Tribute paid $13.20, $4.60, and $3.40 for the win. The daughter of Yankee Glide has bankrolled over $79,000 in her career. She is owned by Senia Rebecca Lawson of Williamsburg, Kentucky.
LW Sweet Talker wins second straight in Sires Stakes
LW Sweet Talker and driver Don Irvine, Jr. outlasted the competition. The duo held off the challenge that was brought on by Laura’s Lady and driver Joe Putnam to win the third leg of the Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies.
LW Sweet Talker regained the lead in the stretch to prevent a defeat in the $12,000 first division on Sunday. The mile was clocked in 2:00, tying her career best, which was set when she took the Indiana Sires Stakes Final last year as a two-year-old.
“I wasn’t really caught off guard by Putnam’s horse (Laura’s Lady) regaining the lead around the turn,” said Irvine. “I was surprised by how they did not let me go on by, though. My horse (LW Sweet Talker) raced well tonight. She is a nice filly.”
Laura’s Lady surged out of the gate in front of the grandstand the first time. The move gave her the lead around the first turn. She cleared the front and trotted to the quarter pole in :29.1.
Down the backstretch, Laura’s Lady continued her lead. From fourth place on the backside, Irvine swung LW Sweet Talker to the outside and made her way up to the front of the pack. However, Laura’s Lady still held on to the lead heading into the final turn after the half, which went in :59.4.
Before the top of the stretch, LW Sweet Talker took the lead, but it only lasted for a few seconds. Strongly coming on was Laura’s Lady again to regain the lead after three-quarters in 1:29.
The duel was just starting to heat up in the stretch. At the 16th pole, Irvine was able to strike another gear and took LW Sweet Talker to the front once again. This time they had the race in the bag. The duo went on to win in dramatic fashion by three and one-quarter lengths. Laura’s Lady held on for second. Pines Machine Gun and trainer-driver Tom Luther rallied late to finish third.
LW Sweet Talker returned $5.80, $4.80, and $4.60 for the victory. The three-year-old is three-for-four this season at Hoosier Park. She took the first leg of the Indiana Sires Stakes in April. The daughter of Gulf Talk is owned and trained by Verlin Yoder of Columbia City, Indiana.
J L Bystem Pathway claims Sires Stakes victory
J L Bystem Pathway and driver Brian Carpenter chose the right path around Hoosier Park’s seven-eighths-mile oval on Sunday. The duo out-trotted a tough field to win their $12,000 third leg division of the Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies. The daughter of Bye Tsem bested her career mark by an amazing 11 seconds, covering the mile in 1:58.3.
Carpenter moved J L Bystem Pathway early to claim the lead off of the gate. The duo led the field around the first turn and onto the backstretch, setting the quarter fraction at :29.2. Don Eash guided Ginger Gayle to the outside to take the lead around the final turn, setting half and three-quarter fractions of :59.2 and 1:28.4 respectively.
J L Bystem Pathway didn’t like looking at Eash’s back. The filly kicked it into gear in early stretch to trot to the lead. She covered the final panel in :29.2 for the five and one-half length win. Ginger Gayle held on for second, while Time To Tell and driver Jay Cross took third.
Carpenter was very satisfied with how the trip went.
“He (trainer Dirk Simpson) told me to go right on out with her,” said Carpenter. “We got out good early in the race. Don (Eash) had the horse to beat and I let him go on the backstretch. She (J L Bystem Pathway) closed well and we got the win. She is a real nice filly.”
This was the first time Carpenter has taken J L Bystem Pathway’s reins, but he hopes it will not be the last.
“Yeah, this was the first time I have driven her,” said Carpenter. “I hope that I will get the chance to drive her in the finals. That will be up to Dirk Simpson.”
J L Bystem Pathway is owned by Horsemans Financial Agency Inc. of North Aurora, Illinois. The win came in the filly’s first appearance at Hoosier Park for the 2005 Standardbred Meet. The victory puts the three-year-old over the $15,000 mark for her career.
Racing fans that wagered on J L Bystem Pathway were rewarded handsomely for their bets. The filly paid $25.60, $9.40, and $4.80 across the board for the win.
Hatfield guides TGTIF gate-to-wire in Billings
Defending CKG Billings Series champion Bud Hatfield used his inside post position to his advantage in the first division of the amateur series on Sunday at Hoosier Park.
Hatfield guided TGTIF to an impressive gate-to-wire victory in the $2,500 event, trotting the mile in 2:00.1 while winning by three lengths. The race was a non-wagering contest.
“He (TGTIF) has not been drawing well in his last few races,” said Hatfield. “I thought we had a shot after getting post one. I planned on staying on the lead throughout the race. Last week, he drew the outside at Lebanon and I had him parked, which I thought would tighten things up for him a little bit.”
Out of the gate, Hatfield drove TGTIF right to the front. The duo led the field of eight to the first quarter in :29.1. Down the backstretch, TGTIF continued his lead while opening up by almost two lengths on the rest of the pack. The half came and went in :59.4.
Around the final turn, Hatfield had TGTIF in perfect position and he gave him a breather as the third panel was clocked in 1:30.1. In the stretch, TGTIF started to pull away from the field. A three length lead lasted with him until the wire as he went on to victory. Cumin’s Diesel and driver Aaron Young finished second. Canbertil and current Billings point leader Dein Spriggs held on for third.
“He (TGTIF) had a hairline fracture last year, which slowed things up for him,” said Hatfield. “I thought the horse from Germany (Canbertil) actually had the best chance at winning tonight. I was shocked by the lead we had in the stretch. I kept him in line during the stretch drive.”
Hatfield, winner of the 2003 and 2004 series, was in just his second Billings race of the season with TGTIF. The ten-year-old gelding had the fastest career time coming into the race with a posting in 1:56.3 set at age seven. He also had the highest earnings in the field at just over $135,000.
His 2005 record now stands at one win in seven starts. Hatfield Stables of Columbus, Ohio owns the son of Speed In Action. Milton Smith trains him.
Keidel cruises to victory in Billings
Gregg Keidel won the second division of the CKG Billings series for amateur drivers in convincing fashion. Keidel guided I C U Talkin around Hoosier Park’s seven-eighths-mile oval on Sunday. The duo moved early in the stretch to cross the wire first, covering the mile in 1:57.4.
Robert Chapman moved Kipling Avenue early in the race to claim the lead. The pair led the field around the first turn and onto the backstretch, setting quarter and half-mile times of :29.2 and :59.2 respectively. Rompaway Ulaine and driver Gene Miller took the lead on the outside in the final turn, setting the third-quarter fraction at 1:29.
Keidel and I C U Talkin waited patiently behind the leaders the entire race as they prepared to strike. The duo moved early in the stretch to take the lead, covering the final panel in :28.3 for the seven length win.
Keidel had a few options for trip strategies coming into the race. The driver decided he would wait to move late, which worked out perfectly.
“The trainer (Michael Croucher) told me this horse can do it either way,” said Keidel. “The trip went well and he (I C U Talkin) had some left in the stretch.”
Keidel was fortunate to drive I C U Talkin in the race. The gelded son of Keystone Nordic is a very strong invitational-caliber trotter.
“I had the best horse in that field,” said Keidel. “He was really strong and the trainer had him in really good shape.”
Keidel is hoping he will have the opportunity to sit in the sulky behind I C U Talkin again.
“I was just talking to the trainer and we are hoping to get him into another race in the series,” said Keidel. “We have a $35,000 final at The Meadowlands. A horse has to have two starts in the series in order to qualify for the final, so we are hoping to work something out.”
Keidel, who works as racing secretary at Northfield Park, has competed in the amateur series for 10 years. He is currently eighth in this year’s standings. Keidel will miss next week’s division at Scioto Downs in order to represent the U.S. in an International race that will take place in Stockholm, Sweden.
I C U Talkin is owned by Daniel R. Taneyhill of Swartz Creek, Michigan. The gelding has earned over $70,000 in his career.
The race was the second of two CKG Billings divisions held at Hoosier Park. The races were non-betting events that took place before the 13 race card.
Trackside Fort Wayne patron cashes in big on Preakness
A racing fan went home from Trackside Fort Wayne with a vested interest in the 130th running of the Preakness on Saturday, May 21.
While watching and wagering on the event at Trackside in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a patron held a winning Pick 4 ticket that was completed with a win by Afleet Alex in the $1 million Grade I Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse.
The patron, a regular at the facility located on West Washington Road, selected several horses from races nine through 12 to pull in a Pick 4 payoff of $244,090. He selected three horses from race nine, five horses from race 10, and two horses from race 11 on his ticket. However, Afleet Alex was the only horse he selected to win race 12, the Preakness.
The winning payout for the Pick 4 was $4,881.80. The patron had wagered a total of $3,000 on the Pick 4, thus, making the payoff total almost a quarter of a million dollars.