Anderson, IN – Indiana Sire Stakes action dominated the Friday (Sept. 11) program at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, with the penultimate leg of stakes action contested for 2-year-old pacers and 3-year-old trotters, while the older stars took aim at their second and final preliminary leg.
Opening up the stakes action, the seventh leg of the $48,000 INSS for 3-year-old filly trotters, Bluebird Kazoom, driven by Jordan Ross for trainer Henry Graber Jr., bounced back taking down the favored For Dayze.
Slotted into post 2, Bluebird Kazoom accelerated to the early advantage out of the wings to hit the first turn in :28.4 with the post time favorite For Dayze (John DeLong) tucked in behind her. The field remained unchanged at the half mile mark in :57.4 as Expressive Gal joined the top pair in third. Bluebird Kazoom aimed to stretch her lead through the three-quarter pole in 1:26.1 as the trotters held their positions. Bluebird Kazoom hit the open fairway drifting out into the middle of the stretch. For Dayze advanced along the far outside with Expressive Gal (Kevin Lambright) along the rail. Too little too late as For Dayze ran out of racetrack with Bluebird Kazoom reaching the wire in 1:53.3 by a neck. For Dayze settled for second, while Expressive Gal rounded out the show.
Bluebird Kazoom is owned by Hillside Stables, Indiana Stables LLC, Hickory Hollow Stables and Michael Rosenthal. The Swan For All-Stella Kemp filly was bred by Delvin Miller, Kenneth Bontrager and Daryl Miller. This win marked the 10th for Bluebird Kazoom to boost her bank account to $170,850. Bluebird Kazoom paid $4.20 to win.
In the $49,000 second division, Fresh Face Yankee, driven and trained by Jay Cross, did what she does best, as she cruised to the winner’s circle in a career-best effort.
Drawing post 1, Fresh Face Yankee advanced along the rail inviting half the field in front of her, as Help Cum Laude (Atlee Bender) grabbed the lead to the first turn in :27.2. Fresh Face Yankee fired along the outside shortly after taking the helm from Help Cum Laude. Fresh Face Yankee held the lead through the halfway mark in :56. Fresh Face Yankee remained dominant in the lead, stringing the field along to the third turn in 1:24.2. Hitting the homestretch, Cross sat back and relaxed as Fresh Face Yankee did the rest holding off Help Cum Laude to the wire by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52.1. Magic’s Delight (Kevin Lambright) rallied for third.
In her seventh win of the year, Fresh Face Yankee posted $2.10 to win with her bankroll now at $198,835. Fresh Face Yankee is owned by Timothy Smith and was bred by Fashion Hill Farm.
The streaking Tell Me It’s You got the better of the previously undefeated Mr Bear as the two hooked up in the $65,500 first stakes division for rookie pacing colts and geldings on the evening.
Driver John DeLong landed Tell Me It’s You in the pocket behind Capt Peach (Trace Tetrick) through an opening quarter of :27.2 while Mr Bear (Marcus Miller) got away in the third spot. Tell Me It’s You opted to move to the lead on the backstretch, taking the pacers to the half in :56.2 before rolling to three-quarters in 1:25 while Mr Bear looked to advance first-over from third. Off the well rated middle fractions, Tell Me It’s You took off in the lane, sprinting home in :25.3 to remove any opportunity to be caught as he scampered to the wire three lengths clear in 1:50.3. Mr Bear was able to outsprint Capt Peach to snag second late in the lane.
Trained by co-owner Alvin Miller, Tell Me It’s You has won four of eight on the season with each of those victories coming consecutively. Bred by Oakwood Farms, the Tellitlikeitis-Kitty Hoyne gelding has banked $132,975 on the season for owners Miller, Twila Harts and Marvin Schwartz. Tell Me It’s You paid $5.40 to win.
Also extending his win streak to four in the $65,500 second division, Tell’s Chip uncorked his usual late rally to score in his first try against stakes company with driver Atlee Bender.
Away from post 6 as the 3-5 favorite, Tell’s Chip settled in the sixth spot early while Soggy Man (John DeLong) took control through a :26.4 first split. Soggy Man remained on trop to the half in :55 before taking the pacers to three-quarters in 1:23.3 while Tell’s Chip spotted the leader nine lengths gapping cover third-over from seventh and last. Soggy Man opened up midway through the lane, before Tell’s Chip got straightened away and began to pick up steam on the far outside. Rocketing home in :26.1, Tell’s Chip went from sixth to first in the last eighth of a mile to rally past Soggy Man by a quarter length in a career best 1:51.1. Another Mile Again (Trace Tetrick) rallied along the cones to get up for third.
Tell’s Chip has won four of six this season for trainer Erv Miller, racking up $60,081 on the year. Bred by Devon Beechy, the Tellitlikeitis-Jaded Dream gelding is owned by Ervin Miller Stable and Jerry Graham. Tell’s Chip paid $3.20 to win.
Nothing could separate Fitterjake, driven by Anthony Miller for trainer Aaron Stutzman, and Era Dominance, driven by Joey Putnam for trainer Michael Hitchcock, as the duo battled to a dead heat in the fifth leg of the $129,000 INSS 2-Year-Old Fillies Pace in race seven.
Fitterjake lined up in post 1 as Era Dominance, starting in post 6, challenged for the lead early against Owleo’s Pride (Trace Tetrick) to the first turn in :26.2. Mystical Jk (Kyle Wilfong) wasted no time gearing up for an early bid at the lead to show the group to the halfway mark in :54.2. Fitterjake followed suit blazing along the outside to take the helm. Callie Rocks (Kevin Detweiler) joined in on the action before stalling at the leader. Fitterjake reached the three-quarter pole in 1:23 as Mystical Jk held onto second. Down the stretch, Era Dominance angled down to the rail before sliding in between Owleo’s Pride and Mystical Jk to take aim at the leader. Fitterjake looked to have tied a bow on the race as Era Dominance hit the nitro for a final quarter time of :26.1 to nail Fitterjake for a dead heat at the wire in 1:50.1. Owleo’s Pride held on for third.
Fitterjake stayed perfect for her fifth career win to increase her career earnings to $151,625. The JK Endofanera out of For Sharks Sake filly is owned by breeder James Miller. Fitterjake paid $2.80 to win.
Era Dominance, a daughter of JK Endofanera-Always Soggy, is owned by William Hartt while bred by Let It Ride Stables Inc. and J L Benson Stables Inc. Era Dominance spiked her lifetime earnings to $71,735 in her third win of the season. Era Dominance paid $5.20 to win.
In the $49,000 first division for sophomore trotting colts and geldings, the complexion changed early when 1-9 favorite Dan D Man Can went off stride leaving the gate prior to a front-end score for Bravo Alpha.
Leaving from the rail, driver Trace Tetrick grabbed control from the outset, trotting to the opening quarter in a tepid :28 opening quarter with Woodside Julius (Marcus Miller) tracking in second. Bravo Alpha went unchallenged in the middle stages, leading to the head of the stretch through fractions of :57 and 1:25.1. Bravo Alpha opened up in the lane, with Woodside Julius beginning to gap while Pilot’s Lucky Day (Brad Feguson) was marred between that rival and August Salazar (John DeLong) on the outside. Pilot’s Lucky Day shook loose late, taking a late shot at Bravo Alpha along the cones, coming up a half-length short of the pacesetter who crossed the wire in 1:53.3. August Salazar rallied for the show position.
Trained by Doug Rideout, Bravo Alpha has won back-to-back starts and four of 16 on the year. Bred by Hoosier Standardbred Farm, the gelded son of Fiftydallarbill-Life Dream Hanover has banked $79,175 on the year, and $200,309 lifetime for owners Julie Rideout, Alan White, Dave Gamble and D&S Stable. Bravo Alpha paid $12.20 to win.
In the $48,500 second split, Inverness Ave remained hot, picking up his third straight victory with Kevin Lambright aboard.
Inverness Ave got away in second from his rail starting spot, tracking Swan Affect (Marcus Miller) to the quarter pole in :27.3. Lambright right-lined the even-money favorite on the backstretch, trotting to the point en route to the half in :56.3 before moving onto three-quarters in 1:25.1. Under Lambright urging in the stretch, Inverness Ave sprinted home in :27.2 to hold Swan Affect and Tuggin Thomas (Trace Tetrick) at bay by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:52.3.
Trained by Ernie Gaskin, Inverness Ave has won six of 18 on the year for owners Theodore Engel, Douglas Shore and Ernie Gaskin Stables. The Helpisontheway-Arvika gelding was bred by The Bay’s Stable, Polger Holdings and Little E LLC. Inverness Ave has banked $142,290 on the year and $206,835 lifetime. Inverness Ave paid $4 to win.
A single $20,000 split for each of the four older groups was contested on the evening as well, with Revin For Dallars ($5.60) rallying in a career-best 1:51.1 to take the male trot with Jordan Ross aboard for Luis Quevedo. Can’ttouchthese ($2.10) wired the field in 1:50.1 to take the mare pace with John DeLong driving for Roger Welch. DeLong would also take the male pace with M-M’s Bud ($3.80), rallying to score in 1:50 for trainer Alvin Miller.
Contested in a non-betting race prior to the main card, Yo Beth D took the mare trot in 1:52 with Kyle Wilfong driving for trainer Ken Rucker.
Live racing for the week concludes on Saturday (Sept. 12) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with a 14-race program set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. (EDT). Then the Anderson oval gears up for the Grade 1 Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty Memorials for the sport’s best 2-year-old trotters next week, with those events taking place on Friday, Sept. 18 along with the $80,000 Hoosier Cup.
For more information on the live racing season at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.