Harrah's Hoosier Park: Buzzsaw Russ blazes to track record-equaling clocking

Indiana Sires Stakes for the 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings reached the midway point as round four of eight highlighted the 14-race card at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Friday, July 21. There was a lone $96,000 division for the glamour boys, featuring Coach Stefanos putting his undefeated 2023 season on the line, but it would be the 2-year-old champion, Buzzsaw Russ, pulling the mild 9-2 upset in track record-equaling fashion.

Leaving from post two in the field of eight, driver John De Long was content to let Why Not Now and LeWayne Miller call the shots on the front-end through the opening quarter of 27 2/5 as Buzzsaw Russ settled into the pocket. Why Not Now would have things his own way up the backstretch as Miller tapped the brakes to the tune of a 28 1/5 second quarter to lead the field to the halfway point in 55 3/5. Not content to leave Why Not Now alone on the lead any longer, driver Trace Tetrick gave Coach Stefanos his signal from third, quickly moving first-over to engage Why Not Now at three-quarters in 1:22 4/5, with Buzzsaw Russ stalking intently behind the dueling leaders as the field straightened for home.

In the stretch, De Long angled Buzzsaw Russ immediately to the rail to make it a three-across battle for the lead as Why Not Now and Coach Stefanos drifted off the pine in the high speed pursuit of the wire. Buzzsaw Russ wasted no time shooting the gap, powering home along the pylons behind the strength of a 25 2/5 homestretch blitz, capping off a sensational 52 3/5 back-half to score by just over two lengths on the line in 1:48 2/5. Coach Stefanos and Tetrick nosed out Why Not Now and Miller for the place position.

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It was the second win in six seasonal starts for the Missy Essig-trained gelded son of Rockin Image-Up Front Cruiser. Bred by Devon Beechy and Devon Knepp, Buzzsaw Russ has now banked $324,775 for owners Russell Beeman and Charles Weaver. The 1:48 2/5 mile matched the track record for 3-year-old pacing geldings established by JK Victory in the 2022 edition of the Hoosier Cup and gave driver John De Long his third driving victory on the card.

The racing week concludes at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Saturday, July 22. Two $48,500 divisions of Indiana Sires Stakes for the 3-year-old pacing fillies highlight the 12-race card which gets underway at 7:00 p.m.

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