by Emily Gaskin, for Hoosier Park
Anderson, IN — Staging a big rally late in the lane, Rockin BB and Ricky Macomber Jr. pulled the slight upset in the featured event of the evening, the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for 3-year-old pacing fillies, at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday (June 3). On a beautiful Saturday evening, Rockin BB used the long Hoosier Park stretch to her advantage to stop the timer in 1:52.2 and establish a new lifetime best in the process. With the win, Rockin BB snapped a six-race win streak for the heavily favored, Rockin Racer and Jared Finn.
Rockin Racer used her customary front-running tactics to fly from the wings of the gate to set fast, first half fractions of :25.4 and :54.3. Always About Farah and Andy Shetler protected their rail position and grabbed a pocket seat behind the early pacesetter while Firstup and Ross Leonard were next in line third.
Rockin BB was uninvolved through the early stages of the race and set eighth along the rail for much of the mile.
Leonard gave Firstup the green light and she was out and firing to grab command as the field reached the three-quarter clocking in 1:22.2. Firstup continued to call the shots turning for home but the rest of the field was closing in.
As the quick pace began to take its toll on the leader, Macomber Jr. tipped Rockin BB wide to the outside and she utilized a :28.3 final quarter to prevail in a tight photo over Pretty Image and Dale Hiteman. Rockin Serena and Peter Wrenn also rallied well late in the mile to get up for third place honors.
Slightly dismissed at the betting windows, Rockin BB returned $23.20 to her backers at the betting windows.
Trained by Ron Burke, Rockin BB notched her third win from eight seasonal starts. The daughter of Rockin Image-Yankee Pankee BB has now amassed $87,730 in lifetime purse earnings for owners Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino and Weaver Bruscemi.
The victory with Rockin BB was one of four winners on the program for driver Ricky Macomber Jr. Macomber Jr. also scored with JD’s Chancey Gal in the $25,000 Indiana Sires Stakes consolation for 3-year-old pacing fillies in 1:52 for trainer Pasko Vucinaj.
Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will continue on Tuesday (June 6) with a 14-race card. 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 November 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.