Anderson, IN — Two of Indiana’s finest, Gruesome Twosome and Lets Go Endofaera, staged late rallies to get their noses on the wire first in a stakes filled card Friday (Nov. 15) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Seven splits of the Star Destroyer headlined the 14-race card for the four sophomore divisions, headlined by the $57,000 lone division for trotting colts.
Gruesome Twosome left from post five in the field of nine as the 1-20 favorite, with driver Daryl Bontrager settling the bettors’ choice into fourth early while Dashing Danny (Kyle Wilfong) worked around 70-1 shot Flirtnwiththepilot (Marvin Luna) through a first quarter of :28. Bontrager thought better of a backside brush, opting to stay in fourth as Dashing Danny got to the half in :57.1. The tempo quickened on the final turn, allowing Dashing Danny to scamper away by two lengths at three-quarters in 1:25.3 as Gruesome Twosome followed the cover of Victor Lazlo (John De Long) from second-over in fourth.
Victor Lazlo jumped it off at the top of the lane, as Gruesome Twosome found himself with a 5-1/2 length deficit to a dueling Dashing Danny and Flirtnwiththepilot midway through the stretch. Flirtnwiththepilot appeared poised to pull a massive shocker before Gruesome Twosome found his best stride late, rocketing home in :27.2 to chase down the longshot and reach the wire first by a quarter-length in 1:54. Dashing Danny held for the show spot.
Bontrager trains and co-owns Gruesome Twosome along with Ira Steinberg. A winner in 10 of 15 this season, the son of You Know You Do-All Set Lets Go has surpassed $400,000 in seasonal earnings, with a career bankroll of $642,603.
Lets Go Endofaera needed similar late race heroics to secure victory in the $30,000 second division for pacing fillies. John De Long landed the 4-5 favorite in fourth early while Asweetbeachhere (Andy Miller) battled Daisy’s Star (LeWayne Miller) to the quarter in :27.2. After the dust settled, Brandon Bates wheeled Seaside Diva to assume command from Daisy’s Star at the half in :55.3. Seaside Diva looked to give the field the slip on the final turn, opening up by three lengths at three-quarters in 1:24.1 while Lets Go Endofaera stalked from second-over in fifth.
Seaside Diva looked to be home free in the lane, before beginning to tire in deep stretch with Lets Go Endofaera gaining. Surging late with a :26.3 last quarter, Lets Go Endofaera snagged the victory by a neck from Seaside Diva in 1:51.4. Daisy’s Star finished third at 38-1.
A winner in 11 of 14 this season, Lets Go Endofaera is trained by Tabby De Long. The Jesse De Long homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-Let’s Go Higher is co-owned by John and William De Long, and newly minted Indiana Horse Racing Association Hall of Famer Brian Elmore. The victory brought Lets Go Endofaera’s seasonal earnings to $394,140 and just shy of $700,000 for her career.
The $30,000 first division for pacing fillies was won by Donegal Spirit at 7-1. Driver Andy Miller gave the Andrew Harris trainee the pocket ride before fending off Zuma Beach (Wilfong) in the lane by a nose in 1:51.1. The fourth victory in 18 outings this season pushed the earnings of the daughter of Captaintreacherous to $113,309 this season for owners William Pollock, Bruce Areman and A Harris Racing.
The $30,300 first division for trotting fillies saw Woman Of Passion overcome the outside post seven to score in 1:55.1 as the 6-5 choice. Driven by Peter Wrenn, Woman Of Passion took command on the backstretch, before fending off the pocket-sitting Danger (Robert Taylor) by a quarter-length on the line. A 10 time winner in 15 starts this season, the Carter Pinske trained daughter of Walner has earned $290,148 in 2024 for owner Al Libfeld who bred Woman Of Passion with Marvin Katz.
Ohio Sire Stakes champion Sugar Instead utilized similar tactics to score in the $30,000 second division for trotting fillies. Wilfong got the call for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr., moving the 3-5 favorite to the lead on the backstretch, before holding Stella Volo (Wrenn) at bay by a length to score in 1:54.4. The dominant daughter of Volstead secured the 20th victory of her career, having won 13 of 15 this season for owners Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills. Sugar Instead sports a gaudy bankroll of $514,339 this season while knocking on the door of $900,000 for her career.
Tellmeitmatters notched his first victory since Aug. 1, winning as the 1-5 favorite in the first of two $36,500 divisions for pacing colts. Going to work with his usual first-over grind, Tellmeitmatters and John De Long worked to the lead turning for home before digging in to fend off Noblesville (Bates) by a half-length in 1:50.2. Roger Welch trains the William and Patrick De Long homebred son of Tellitlikeitis-Art Matters who has won seven of 13 this year, banking $246,315 over his sophomore campaign.
Stat That had the biggest price of the night, pulling an 18-1 shocker in a mad scramble to the wire in the other pacing colt split. After sitting third throughout, driver LeWayne Miller split rivals in the lane with a :26.3 last quarter to reach the line a neck clear of a hard-charging Dale Yeah (Marvin Luna) in 1:51. Trained by Susan Miller for Derek Lehman, the victory was the second-consecutive and third of the season for the son of Check Six-Rockin Songbird who has earned $108,910 in 2024.
The week of live racing concludes at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with a 12-race card on Saturday (Nov. 16), first post is 7 p.m.
For more information on the 2024 live racing season, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.