Harrah's Hoosier Park: Erv Miller pupils continue Indiana Sires Stakes success

After sweeping Indiana Sires Stakes action for the freshman pacing fillies the night before, trainer Erv Miller would once again prove unstoppable in the same event for the rookie pacing colts and geldings on Thursday, July 28 at Harrah's Hoosier Park.

J B Gram kicked things off with an eye-catching performance in the first $68,000 division in the evening's tenth race. Leaving from the outside post seven, driver Trace Tetrick hustled J B Gram off the wings of the gate, striking the lead through a fast opening panel of 26 3/5 outside of Art It Is and Brandon Bates. J B Gram and Tetrick cleared to the front up the backstretch and led to the halfway point in 54 3/5 before reaching three-quarters in 1:23 3/5.

Utilizing a 26 3/5 final quarter, J B Gram would fend off the two-pronged attack of Art It Is and Buzzsaw Russ and John De Long, crossing the line nearly two lengths in front in 1:50 3/5. Buzzsaw Russ finished second but was off-stride and lapped-on by Art It Is, so after an inquiry, their finishing positions were reversed. De Long also put in an objection against Tetrick and J B Gram, but that was disallowed.

It was the second win in as many starts in the young career for J B Gram. The gelded son of Tellitlikeitis, out of the Incredible Finale mare Faith Leigh, has now banked $39,000 for owners Jerry, Thomas and J D Graham. Bred by Frontier Farms, the 1:50 1/5 mark was just one-fifth of a second off the national season's record for 2-year-olds held by Voukefalas.

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The second $68,500 split would prove to be a similar story with Miller and Tetrick teaming up once more, this time with the heavily-favored Coach Stefanos, who looked to rebound off a miscue in leg one. Starting from the four-hole, Tetrick steered Coach Stefanos to mid-pack in fifth as Why Not Now and Peter Wrenn cut out the opening quarter in 28 seconds. Tetrick put Coach Stefanos into play up the backstretch, steadily working his way into fourth at the half in 57 4/5 before taking command at the three-quarter station in 1:27. In the lane, Coach Stefanos fought off his stablemate, Frankie Frankie and Atlee Bender, with a 25 3/5 final fraction to score the victory by a length and a half in 1:52 3/5. Flirtin JK and Ricky Macomber Jr. rounded out the trifecta.

It was the third win in four career starts for Coach Stefanos, who has now earned $49,250 for owners Kenneth Duffy, D & M Trading II LLC., and John Chris Stefanos. A gelded son of Tellitlikeitis, out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare, Watch N Be Watched, was bred by Indiana's leading breeder, Victory Hill Farms.

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