Trainer Andrew Harris has amassed a solid stable with private purchases offering a wealth of pacing talent. Two of the Harris stable's biggest purchases from 2023 are among 10 entered in Friday's $300,000 Dan Patch Stakes at Harrah's Hoosier Park. El Rey and Seven Colors were among the elite sophomore pacers in training last year before being sold and joining the Harris collection. Seven Colors, a son of Stay Hungry, paid immediate dividends, winning last year's Milstein at Northfield Park. El Rey's value was his dual-eligibility, and that has paid off nicely this year with the Kentucky program helping to boost the Captaintreacherous-sired horse to $115K earned, with many big races still to come. "El Rey's coming into the race in great shape," said Harris from Kentucky, where 11 from his stable are based currently. "He won on the front-end in his last start and that's not his style." El Rey captured a $35,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes, holding off early-season star Admiral Hill in the process with a 1:49 1/5 effort. Known for his strong closing ability, El Rey tacked on a 27 second final quarter to complete the wire-to-wire effort on July 23. El Rey drew post one for the Dan Patch and Harris was happy with the field he saw collected following the Tuesday evening draw. "I was expecting this race to come up a little light since it's six days after the Sam McKee, and I didn't expect any of those horses to return," said Harris. Among the group from the McKee was the Harris-trained Abuckabett Hanover, who disappointed as the favorite. "He'll be back at the end of the month at Woodbine Mohawk Park," said Harris of Abuckabett Hanover. "He was a bit wound up before the race." ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter Joining El Rey will be Seven Colors, who landed post eight in the large field and is looking for his second win of the season. "It's a tough transition for the 4-year-olds," said Harris. "He got off to a good start in the Confederation Cup and has been racing well of late." Seven Colors has been routinely pacing final quarters in 26 and better but not getting far doing so against solid fields. In his start on August 3, his first competitive race in four weeks, Seven Colors flashed a 25 4/5 final quarter, but that netted him just an eighth-place finish in a Preferred event at the Meadowlands. "He's in great shape physically," said Harris of Seven Colors, who may like the change of scenery, as well as the competition on Friday. Local favorite Buzzsaw Russ (post three) has been flashing high speed while dominating the Open class at Harrah's Hoosier Park and looks for his fourth win in his last five starts for trainer Melissa Essig and driver John De Long. Though he's been pacing in 1:48 and change during this meet, Buzzsaw Russ will face a higher class field in the Dan Patch than he's been accustomed to recently. McKee upset winner Rocknroll Runa A (post six) won't go unnoticed six days following his biggest career score. The 7-year-old gelded son of Rock N Roll Heaven paced a career-best 1:47 3/5 mile while skirting the pylons in the final yards to victory. Trainer Larry Stalbaum sends Rocknroll Runa A back on short rest for the second straight start in the Dan Patch, having raced him on just five days rest for the McKee. The classy Charlie May (post 10) will try the Dan Patch from the second tier for the second straight year. Last year Charlie May finished second behind Ponda Warrior after racing uncovered in attack mode for much of the mile. Though winless thus far in 2024, Charlie May finished a strong second behind Abuckabett Hanover in the Dave Brower Memorial at the Meadowlands on June 29. The popular Coach Stefanos has been a staple on the Indiana Sires Stakes circuit over the last two years at Harrah's Hoosier Park and seems to be primed for the Dan Patch following a sizzling effort in last Friday's (August 2) Open over this track. The 4-year-old Erv Miller trainee blitzed a final quarter of 25 2/5 to complete a 1:50 2/5 mile in his final tune-up for the big race. Rounding out the field for the Dan Patch, which goes as race 13 on Friday's 15-race Harrah's Hoosier Park program, are Dunkin' (post two), Why Not Now (post four), Christchurch (post five) and Spring Inhis Step A (post nine). Post time for Hoosier on Friday is 6:15 P.M. (EDT) and the card will feature a number of guaranteed wagering opportunities including a $30,000 promised Pick 4 starting in race 12.