Harrah's Hoosier Park: Cattlewash triumphant in Monument Circle

3-5 favorite Cattlewash moved from second to first in the backstretch and maintained control to the wire to win the $160,000 Monument Circle for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Friday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park in 1:48 3/5. Trainer Ron Burke finished first and second in the race as his Elver Hanover was the runner-up.

Tattoo Artist (Joe Bongiorno) stepped on the gas from post three and zipped over to the opening quarter in 25 4/5, but Cattlewash (David Miller) was in the pocket at that point, and Miller moved his horse to the point beyond that marker. Cattlewash would go on to the half in 54 1/5, and from there had little issue dealing with a first-over bid by Fortify (Dexter Dunn), who had been two-wide throughout, around the far turn and into the lane.

In the stretch Cattlewash got separation from the rest of the field, and he would go on to score by about 2 1/2 lengths over Elver Hanover. Catch The Fire (Mike Wilder) was third and another Burke pupil in Sawyer's Desire (Brian Sears) finished fourth. Always And Again (Lewayne Miller) checked in fifth.

"It worked out okay. Tattoo Artist left pretty hard. I'm pretty sure he was just trying to seat everybody, and I actually got to sit in around the first turn, then moved him back," said David Miller. "He relaxed really nice, and when the first horse came to him, he swelled right up.

"He got off to a late start. I guess he had some sickness issues early in the year, and when I picked him up he was okay, but he wasn't as strong as he is now. I know people always want to slam Delaware and going two heats, but I swear it helped this horse."

William J. Donovan bred and owns Cattlewash, a colt by Somebeachsomewhere. This was Cattlewash's ninth lifetime win, and he has now earned $709,977. He paid $3.40 to win.

"Definitely he races his best race on the front. I have won with him out of a hole, but he's much gamer on the lead," Miller added. "He's a big, strong horse, and tonight he seemed as good as he's been all year."