Harrah's Hoosier: Indiana Sires Stakes races won by Mystical Carrie, Grace Rocks

Sophomore pacing fillies were featured in their sixth round of Indiana Sires Stakes action on Saturday, September 26 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. With two splits, worth $32,500 and $32,000, the competitive group was put to the test with the divisional points leaders mixed into separate fields. The night's winners, Mystical Carrie and Grace Rocks, both provided rebound performances after coming up second-best in their previous stakes attempts.

The stakes action kicked off with divisional points leader Mystical Carrie, an Erv Miller trainee, clinching another win in stakes action in 1:51 1/5.

Western Sierra, with Sam Widger, followed the gate as it opened, leaving Mystical Carrie, with Trace Tetrick, sitting in the pocket. The leader remained unchallenged through the opening quarter in 27 2/5 while Mystical Carrie waited for the right moment to make a move. Not long after, Tetrick gave Mystical Carrie the green light, and she quickly took command before the half in 55 1/5. From there, she continued on the lead through the 1:23 4/5 three-quarters.

As the field reached the stretch, Mystical Carrie began to bolster her lead on the field. With a 27 2/5 final quarter, she crossed the wire two lengths in front of Western Sierra. Seventimesacharm, with John DeLong, utilized a ground-saving trip to get up for third. Mystical Carrie paid $3.20 to win.

"The wind was strong tonight, so I figured I'd have to ask her for a little bit more," Tetrick noted in the winner's circle. "She's a great filly - versatile and shows up every day."

A daughter of Tellitlikeitis-Mystical Victress, Mystical Carrie has now won eight of 19 starts. She now sports a lifetime bankroll of $136,678 for Mystical Marker Farms, who also bred the filly.

In the second division, Grace Rocks went gate-to-wire in 1:49 4/5. With Joey Putnam at the lines, the filly found the winner's circle for the ninth time in 18 lifetime starts.

As the gate opened, Grace Rocks immediately moved to the front from post four, while Genie Rockwell, with James Yoder, grabbed the pocket seat. Grace Rocks led the field uncontested through fractions of 27, 54 3/5, and 1:23.

Somebodyslilly, with Mike Oosting, rallied from fifth in the lane, but despite a strong rally from that foe, Grace Rocks reached the wire first, 2 3/4 lengths to the good. Somebodyslilly settled for second, while Genie Rockwell held on for third. Grace Rocks paid $5.80 to win.

The Britney Dillon trainee has now won three of nine seasonal starts. The daughter of Rockin Image-Cosmic Grace was bred by Victory Hill Farms. Grace Rocks boasts a lifetime bankroll of $216,310 for owner Howard Taylor.

--press release (Harrah's Hoosier Park)--