by Emily Gaskin, for Hoosier Park
Anderson, IN — After cruising to an ultra-impressive 1:55.4 victory in her Indiana Sires Stakes elimination last week, O So Easy followed up with a decisive victory on Tuesday (July 11) in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for 2-year-old trotting fillies at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
After stopping the timer in 1:56.1, O So Easy swept the first round of stakes action for the freshman fillies while recording her third win of the season for trainer/driver/ co-owner Verlin Yoder.
Leaving from post nine in a talented field of ten, Yoder wasted no time as he sent the filly away from the gate for the lead. O So Easy would have to work for position as Miss Lady Halfmoon and Trace Tetrick also wanted the front and protected their rail position. O So Easy eventually grabbed the lead just past the quarter in :27.4 and would lead the field through splits of :57.3 and 1:27 before ever feeling a threat.
Lass A Rope and Jim Pantaleano were the first to commit to the outer flow first-over and First Encore K and Ricky Macomber Jr. quickly grabbed the cover rounding the final turn. Lass A Rope made a strong bid at the leader but O So Easy was too strong on the front.
Utilizing a :29.1 final quarter, O So Easy was able to hold off a late charge from Custom Cantab and Peter Wrenn to get the win by nearly a length. Topville Martini and John DeLong also rallied well late in the mile but had to settle for third place honors. As the 6-5 co-favorite, O So Easy returned $4.60 to her backers at the betting windows.
“She can be a little tough,” Yoder said after the victory. “Just like any trotting filly — she likes things her way. I thought I had to use her a little too much tonight in the first quarter but she overcame it. She’s a very nice filly.”
The rookie filly is now undefeated in three starts in 2017. The daughter of Swan For All-Ostia Hanover was a $20,000 yearling purchase at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale and is owned in partnership by Verlin Yoder and Eleven Star Stables. O So Easy has now earned $52,500 in lifetime purse earnings.
Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will continue on Wednesday (July 12) with a 14-race card featuring the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for 2-year-old pacing fillies. With a daily post time of 6:30 p.m., live racing at Hoosier Park will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through Nov. 17. The 24th season of live harness racing is highlighted by the 34th edition of the Breeders Crown, harness racing’s championship event valued at $6 million, on Friday (Oct. 27) and Saturday (Oct. 28). For more information on the upcoming entertainment and live racing schedule, please visit www.hoosierpark.com.