Harrah's Hoosier Park: Forbidden Trade home first in Caesars Trotting Classic

Forbidden Trade made the lead with little dispute in Friday night's $210,000 Caesars Trotting Classic for free-for-allers at Harrah's Hoosier Park, was well-rated on the engine from there, and couldn't be collared by the closers in the lane. The 2019 Hambletonian champion stopped the teletimer in 1:52 4/5.

With Bob McClure in town for the drive, Forbidden Trade gunned out from post seven and put It's Academic (Yannick Gingras) in the pocket well before the 27 second opening quarter. Guardian Angel AS (Brian Sears) settled in third, and Lindy The Great (Andy Miller), the favorite off his win in the Maple Leaf Trot, landed in fourth.

Nobody challenged Forbidden Trade in the second quarter, so McClure slammed on the brakes and got to the half in a pedestrian 56 1/5. Lindy The Great took up the chase first-over on the last turn, but he stalled out before the 1:24 2/5 three-quarters and then began to fade before they turned for home, taking him out of contention.

Through the lane Forbidden Trade continued to show the way, and although It's Academic did make some late gains, it wasn't nearly enough, as Forbidden Trade hit the wire three-quarters of a length to the good. Guardian Angel AS followed in for third, Ready For Moni (Dexter Dunn) was fourth from second-over, and Sermon (Kasper Forget) was placed from sixth to fifth after Majestic Player A (Chris Page) made a break before the line and was moved back from fifth to sixth.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

"This is the best he's ever been," remarked McClure. "He was off for a little while due to injury, but that time did him so much good. He's in unbelievable form right now.

"I was happy when I got the front so easy, and we got a pretty good breather up the backside. I figured at the head of the lane, with the fractions we got and Lindy The Great being first-up, it was kind of up to Forbidden Trade from there. Whatever came at him came at him, they were all good horses."

Luc Blais trains Forbidden Trade, a 5-year-old Kadabra stallion, for owner Serge Godin's Determination stable. This was Forbidden Trade's 20th win from 40 career starts, and he has now earned $1,679,379. He was the 3-1 second choice and paid $8.60 to win.