Anderson, IN — Indiana Sire Stakes action continued on Friday (Oct. 7) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino as the 3-year-old pacers competed in their eighth and final leg.

Two $50,000 divisions for the pacing fillies and a single $97,500 division for the pacing colts highlighted the 14-race card in what would be their last chance to earn points for the Indiana Sire Stakes Super Finals on Friday (Oct. 14) as part of the $2.3 million Hoosier Champions card.

Fresh off defeating older mares in an Open 3 competition in her last outing, JK’s Rollin Baby impressed with a dominant performance in the first Sire Stakes split for pacing fillies.

JK’s Rollin Baby powered home with a :27.4 final fraction to maintain the lead she built, scoring by 2-1/4 lengths at the wire in 1:51.4. Dean Gillette Photography.

Leaving from post four, driver Mike Oosting put JK’s Rollin Baby into play from the outset, taking the field to the opening quarter in a hot :26.2. JK’s Rollin Baby would get no breathers in the early stages, hooking up with Best Place To Be and Sam Widger up the backstretch as the two tangled to the half in :55.1. Oosting used the inside advantage on the far turn to regain control of the lead and gained separation by two lengths on the field at three quarters in 1:24.

In the stretch, JK’s Rollin Baby powered home with a :27.4 final fraction to maintain the lead she built, scoring by 2-1/4 lengths at the wire in 1:51.4. Always Gonna B You and Hall of Famer David Miller navigated traffic in the stretch to get up for second, while JJ Endofanera and Trace Tetrick closed well on the far outside to get home third.

Trained by Erv Miller, it was the eighth victory in 15 seasonal outings for JK’s Rollin Baby. With the victory, JK’s Rollin Baby has earned $178,696 in 2022 for owners Engel Stable of IL, Flatrock Stable, Louis Willinger and George Golemes and now has over a quarter million for her career. Bred by Mahlon Lambright, JK’s Rollin Baby is a daughter of JK Endofanera out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Rock N Roll Baby, making her a full sister to the undefeated division leader in the 2-year-old pacing filly ranks in Indiana, Rollin Rosie.

In the second Sire Stakes division for the pacing fillies in the evening’s 13th race, Marvelous Marshia extended her win streak to four heading into Hoosier Champions with a stirring stretch rally.

Leaving from post seven in the field of nine, driver John DeLong opted to take back with Marvelous Marshia in eighth as Need To Breathe and Sam Widger cut out the opening quarter in :26.2. David Miller gave Jewel’sbewithus a turn at the lead up the backstretch, sending her to the front end at the half in :56.1. In a busy mile, driver Don Eash got aggressive with 70-1 longshot Majors Miracle, powering to the lead on the far turn from third and getting the field to three-quarters in 1:24.2 as Marvelous Marshia could see them all from ninth, fourth over with seven lengths to make up.

Marvelous Marshia swung wide in the stretch and began to gobble up ground with every stride as the powerful Always A Virgin filly thundered home with a :26.2 final quarter, sweeping the field to score by a length in 1:52.1. Need To Breathe and Widger navigated the passing lane to get up for second, with Jewel’sbewithus picking up the third spot.

Marvelous Marshia is now a winner in seven of 13 in 2022 for trainer Roger Welch, banking $157,040 for owners Marsha Lewis-Veitia along with William, Patrick and Mia DeLong. Bred by Marc and Maynard Bontrager, Marvelous Marshia has now banked more than $200,000 in her career.

In the evening’s nightcap, Soaring Now would capture the lone $97,500 Indiana Sire Stakes split for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings to score his third straight victory.

Starting from post four, Soaring Now and driver Joey Putnam settled in fourth in the early going as JK Victory and Trace Tetrick led the full field of 11 into the first turn through an opening quarter of :26.1. JK Victory would have things his way to the opening half of :54.4 before Putnam sent Soaring Now into motion first up heading into the far turn. The two sons of JK Endofanera would hook up on the turn, with Soaring Now putting his nose in front at three-quarters in 1:23.

The duel continued deep in the stretch, before Soaring Now would finally put away a resilient JK Victory late in the lane with a :27.1 final quarter to hit the wire a length in front in 1:50.1. JK Victory would finish a hard-fought second, while Rip Wheeler and Brandon Bates finished third.

Trained by Aaron Stutzman for owner James Miller, Soaring Now scored his sixth victory in 12 starts in 2022. A Grand Circuit winner in 2022 with a victory in the $140,000 Jenna’s Beach Boy in September, Soaring Now adds to his lofty bankroll, having now banked $341,300 this season. A colt by JK Endofanera out of the Mach Three mare Sunflower, Soaring Now was a $6,000 bargain buy at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale bred by Luckiana Farm.

Racing action continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Saturday (Oct. 7) with a 14-race card set to go beginning at 6:15 p.m. For more information on upcoming events and the live racing calendar, please visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.