Harrah's Hoosier Park: Grand Circuit double for Burke, Gingras

Fresh off winning the Jugette together on Wednesday afternoon, Yannick Gingras and Ron Burke added two more stakes successes from Harrah's Hoosier Park to their haul, taking Friday night's $176,000 Harrah's Hoosier Park Pacing Derby for free-for-allers with This Is The Plan and the $125,000 Elevation for 2-year-old colt and gelding pacers with Sawyer's Desire.

This Is The Plan and Gingras dropped into fifth behind McWicked (Brian Sears) to the 26 3/5 opening quarter, then picked up his cover to sit second-over when McWicked pulled passing the 54 second half. McWicked brought This Is The Plan into contention at the 1:21 4/5 three-quarters, then Gingras sent his charge three-wide for the stretch drive.

It was a calvary charge to the wire, but This Is The Plan had the winning plan on this night, delivering in 1:48 4/5. Endeavor (Sam Widger), who made front passing the opening quarter and then yielded for the pocket, came on nicely on the inside for second, beaten a quarter of a length by the winner, and This Is The Plan's stablemate Filibuster Hanover (Chris Page), who led most of the way, was third. Miso Fast (Dexter Dunn) collected fourth, and Donttellmeagain (Tim Tetrick) closed in 25 2/5 to go from tenth to fifth in the last quarter.

"He raced really good. I didn't talk to anybody about it, but I wanted to race him from behind. It's many weeks in-a-row he's gotten tough trips up front," said Gingras. "Looking at the race, even if I wanted to race in the two-hole, which I think maybe that's the best place for him, there was nobody I really wanted to follow. I figured I'd take him back, follow McWicked, and take our shot from there.

"He's been so good since the Ben Franklin at Pocono. He's been sharp every start. He's never put in a bad performance. Even last week he finished seventh, but he raced as hard as any horse I've driven all year. I owed him one after many tough trips. I tried to give him a good one tonight."

Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Larry Karr own This Is The Plan, a 4-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere. This was his tenth career victory, and he has now pocketed $1,386,138. Sent off at 7-2, he paid $9.60 to win.

"We're absolutely thrilled. This was a great race, and it showed. There were a lot of horses that had chances at the end of it, and he was just the best of the bunch today," remarked assistant trainer Mickey Burke Jr. "He'll go to Lexington from here. We'll race once, maybe twice there, and then ship straight up to Canada."

Back in the Elevation, Sawyer's Desire and Gingras released Major Betts (Dunn) to the point at the 26 2/5 first quarter, and then wound up sitting third when Odds On Osiris (Peter Wrenn) brushed to the top going to the 55 second half. Odds On Osiris continued on to a 1:23 3/5 three-quarters, but Dunn and Major Betts came to the outside past that marker.

In the stretch Odds On Osiris was able to keep Major Betts at bay, but Gingras guided Sawyer's Desire into the passing lane, and Odds On Osiris couldn't fend him off as Sawyer's Desire surged by to take a 1:51 victory. Odds On Osiris did end up second, beaten a length and a quarter, with Major Betts third. My House (John De Long) got fourth and another Burke trainee in Lou`s Sweetrevenge (Tetrick) came in fifth.

"The horse seems really nice. He relaxed nice in the hole for me, and then around the last turn I chased him a little bit. He got on the bit pretty good, and then when Dexter pulled the two-hole he shot up in the middle there, and he felt really brave," stated Gingras.

An Indiana-sired Real Dersire-Ain't That Funny gelding, Sawyer's Desire is owned by breeder David Wills in partnership with Burke Racing Stable LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Sawyer's Desire is now a two-time winner from seven starts, and he has earned $116,635. Dispatched at 8-1, he returned $18.60 to win.