Harrah's Hoosier Park: Gruesome Twosome stays hot in Indiana Sires Stakes
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Gruesome Twosome posted his fourth consecutive victory with a 1:54 3/5 mile in the second Indiana Sires Stakes test for 2-year-old male trotters on Tuesday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park.
Driven by trainer/co-owner Daryl Bontrager in the $66,500 race, Gruesome Twosome floated out from post eight and was two-wide until after the 57 2/5 half. He wrestled the top spot away from Flirtnwiththepilot (Peter Wrenn) at that point, and despite the extended journey on the rim, he opened up several lengths on the competition around the final bend and over to the 1:25 4/5 three-quarters. Gruesome Twosome, who was coming off a win over open company in the Madison County most recently, continued to pour it on in the lane, widening his margin to 6 1/4 lengths over Mounds For All (Mike Oosting) at the wire. Helpem Dance (Ricky Macomber Jr.) collected third.
A colt by You Know You Do, Gruesome Twosome was bred by Merle Yoder and fetched $17,000 at last year's Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale. Ira Steinberg co-owns Gruesome Twosome, who has banked $205,375 to go with his record of 6-1-0 from eight outings. He paid $2.60 to win as the 1-5 favorite.
Elhelpski (Peter Wrenn) lingered back in sixth through stations of 28 3/5, 58 2/5 and 1:27 2/5 back in the opening $67,000 split, but angled out in the lane, and behind a 27 1/5 last quarter, was able to get up and win by a quarter of a length in 1:56 1/5. 4-5 favorite Dashing Danny (Kyle Wilfong), who had taken the lead from first-up inside the final eighth, had to settle for second, and pace-setter Flight Number One (John De Long) was moved up from fourth to third after original third-place finisher Meadowbrook Master (Trace Tetrick) was placed seventh for being on a break in the stretch.
The victorious gelded son of Helpisontheway was bred by John Bontrager Jr. and is trained by Melanie Wrenn for owners S&R Racing Stables, Bottom Line Racing LLC. and Wrenn Racing LLC. The $65,000 Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale purchase is a three-time winner from five starts, has now earned $116,300 and returned $5.80 to win as the 9-5 second choice.
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Rookie trotting fillies also competed in a single $129,500 Indiana Sires Stakes showdown, and Ponda Title (Wilfong) cut the opening quarter in 27 seconds, released a two-wide Starlit Dora (Oosting), and then immediately re-moved to the top. Ponda Title maintained control through the 56 1/5 half and 1:25 4/5 three-quarters and was able to stave off a late push by Skyway Paige (Lewayne Miller) to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:55. Swans Morning Song (Macomber Jr.) got up for third.
Ponda Title, a daughter of Muscle Massive, is trained by Jay Hochstetler for owners Connie Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz. The Pond-A-Acres-bred, who brought $32,000 at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale, has six wins, three seconds and a third from ten trips behind the gate, and has put away $358,420. She paid $2.60 to win as the 1-5 choice.