Harrah's Hoosier Park: Blue Diamond Eyes impresses in USS Indianapolis

Blue Diamond Eyes turned a second-over trip into a 1:49 win in the $120,000 U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Friday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park.

Kobe's Gigi (Peter Wrenn) rushed to the lead from post seven and hit the opening quarter in 26 1/5, but she would yield to 3-2 favorite and pocket-pulling Hot Mess Express (John De Long) past that marker. High Minded (Andrew McCarthy) settled in third, and she was followed by Always B Laughin (Trace Tetrick) and Blue Diamond Eyes (Yannick Gingras). Going to the 54 1/5 half, Always B Laughin stepped out first-over, and that gave the cover trip to Blue Diamond Eyes around the last turn and to the 1:22 three-quarters.

In upper stretch Hot Mess Express accelerated and put Always B Laughin away, but Gingras cut Blue Diamond Eyes loose three-wide, and she was full of pace. Behind a 26 3/5 final kicker, Blue Diamond Eyes stormed into the lead and then drew off on her way to defeating Kobe's Gigi by 3 3/4 lengths. Oakwoodanabella IR (David Miller) followed Blue Diamond Eyes's cover and wound up third, Scarlett Hanover (Tim Tetrick) got fourth, and Hot Mess Express faded to fifth.

"She was really good in the Breeders Crown, too, but tonight it was her time to shine," stated Gingras.

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Ron Burke trains Blue Diamond Eyes, a daughter of Captaintreacherous, for owners Thomas and Scott Dillon. She is now an 11-time winner from 31 career starts, and she has now earned $1,118,464. Sent off at 9-2, she paid $11.60 to win.