Harrah's Hoosier Park: Fine Wine, Redice stay sharp in Indiana Sire Stakes

A duo of $67,500 divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotting fillies headlined the Tuesday (September 1) card at Harrah's Hoosier Park, and Fine Wine and Redice stamped their claim to the winner's circle in their respective splits.

Fine Wine, driven and trained by Jay Cross, made it back-to-back sire stakes triumphs after a stretch battle in the first section in Race 10.

From the far outside in post nine, Fine Wine was left with work to make up out of the gate as the trotters sprinted toward an early lead. In The Buff (Kyle Wilfong) snatched the advantage through the first quarter in 27 4/5 as Ponda Crystal (Atlee Bender) accelerated along the outside to claim the lead right after. The 10-horse field shuffled around on the backstretch with Prazana and Fine Wine, who had remained on the outside charging froward.

Prazana took the lead from Ponda Crystal beyond at the halfway mark in 57 seconds, and Fine Wine was left uncovered first-over after Prazana cleared. Prazana would go on to hit three-quarters in 1:26 1/5, then slugged it out with Fine Wine through the lane, with Fine Wine climbing past the leader to nail the wire half a length to the good in 1:55 flat. Prazana held for second at 55-1, while In The Buff claimed third.

The Rebuff-Miss Fidget filly was bred by Pleasant Hill Farms and is owned by Michael Yoder, Maynard Miller and Daniel Lehman. Fine Wine boosted her career earnings to $80,670 and paid $8.60 to win.

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Redice, driven by Atlee Bender for trainer Erv Miller, posted her fourth straight victory in the second split in Race 12.

Redice surveyed the 10-horse field out of the starting gate from post three, with Dance Remix (Jordan Ross) getting away quickly from the nine-hole. However, Brookview Hersey (Kevin Detweiler) bypassed Dance Remix for lead at the quarter in 28 seconds. Redice pressed down on the gas from fourth, cruising to the helm at the half-mile mark in 57 3/5.

Gladden was left without cover after Redice took control, and she moved along the outside into second, looking to challenge Redice as she hit the three-quarters in 1:26 3/5. Redice did not look back in the lane, though, trotting away to reach the wire in a career-best 1:54 3/5 and prevailing by four lengths. Gladden stayed in second as Ican Hardly Wait got up for third.

Redice has now deposited $169,000 into her account, and the Rebuff-Fuzzy Dice filly is owned by the Ervin Miller Stable Inc, Anothy Lombardi and Stepbystep Racing. Bred by Kjell Anderson, Lucas Wallin and Pieter Delis, the post-time favorite paid $2.40 to win.

Wednesday's (September 2) 14-race card features three Indiana Sire Stakes events for 2-year-old male trotters. The program also showcases a $1,043 carryover in the Pick 6, a $10,000 guaranteed late Pick 4 and a $10,000 guaranteed late Hoosier High 5 done in partnership with the USTA's Strategic Wagering Program.

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