Harrah's Hoosier Park: Indiana Sire Stakes action in abundance on Friday

Indiana Sire Stakes action dominated the Friday, Sept. 11 program at Harrah's Hoosier Park, with the penultimate leg of stakes action contested for 2-year-old pacers and 3-year-old trotters, while the aged stars took aim at their second and final leg.

Opening up the stakes action, the first $48,000 division for 3-year-old trotting fillies, Bluebird Kazoom, driven by Jordan Ross for trainer Henry Graber Jr., bounced back while taking down the favored For Dayze.

Slotted into post two, Bluebird Kazoom accelerated to the early advantage out of the wings to hit the first quarter in 28.4 with the post time favorite For Dayze (John De Long) tucked in behind her. The field remained unchanged at the half-mile mark in 57 4/5 as Expressive Gal joined the top pair in third. Bluebird Kazoom aimed to stretch her lead through the three-quarter pole in 1:26 1/5 as the trotters held their positions. In the stretch Bluebird Kazoom drifting out into the middle of the track while For Dayze advanced along the far outside with Expressive Gal (Kevin Lambright) along the rail. It was a case of too little too late for For Dayze as she ran out of racetrack, with Bluebird Kazoom hitting the wire in 1:53 3/5 and prevailing by a neck. For Dayze settled for second, while Expressive Gal rounded out the trifecta.

Bluebird Kazoom is owned by Hillside Stables, Indiana Stables LLC., Hickory Hollow Stables and Michael Rosenthal. The Swan For All-Stella Kemp filly was bred by Delvin Miller, Kenneth Bontrager and Daryl Miller. This win marked the 10th for Bluebird Kazoom to boost her bank account to $170,850. Bluebird Kazoom paid $4.20 to win.

In the $49,000 second division, Fresh Face Yankee, driven and trained Jay Cross, did what she does best, as she cruised to the winner's circle in a career-best effort.

Drawing post one, Fresh Face Yankee advanced along the rail, inviting half the field in front of her, as Help Cum Laude (Atlee Bender) grabbed the lead to the first quarter in 27 2/5. Fresh Face Yankee fired along the outside shortly after, taking the helm from Help Cum Laude. Fresh Face Yankee held the lead through the halfway mark in 56 seconds, and she remained dominant in the lead, stringing the field along to the three-quarters in 1:24 2/5. Hitting the homestretch, Cross sat back and relaxed as Fresh Face Yankee did the rest, holding off Help Cum Laude to the wire in 1:52 1/5 and tallying by a quarter of a length. Help Cum Laude secured second, while Magic's Delight (Kevin Lambright) rallied for third.

In her seventh win of the year, Fresh Face Yankee returned $2.10 to win with her bankroll now at $198,835. Fresh Face Yankee is owned by Timothy Smith and was bred by Fashion Hill Farm.

The streaking Tell Me It's You got the better of the previously-undefeated Mr Bear as the two hooked up in the $65,500 first division for rookie pacing colts and geldings on the evening.

Driver John De Long landed Tell Me It's You in the pocket behind Capt Peach (Trace Tetrick) through an opening quarter of 27 2/5 while Mr Bear (Marcus Miller) got away in the third spot. Tell Me It's You opted to move to the lead on the backstretch, taking the pacers to the half in 56 2/5 before rolling to three-quarters in 1:25 while Mr Bear looked to advance first-over from third. Off the well-rated middle-fractions, Tell Me It's You took off in the lane, sprinting home in 25 3/5 to remove any opportunity to be caught as he scampered to the wire three lengths clear in 1:50 3/5. Mr Bear was able to outsprint Capt Peach to snag second late in the lane.

Trained by co-owner Alvin Miller, Tell Me It's You has won four of eight on the season, with each of those victories coming consecutively. Bred by Oakwood Farms, the Tellitlikeitis-Kitty Hoyne gelding has banked $132,975 on the season for owners Miller, Twila Harts and Marvin Schwartz. Tell Me It’s You paid $5.40 to win.

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Also extending his win streak to four in the $65,500 second division, Tell's Chip uncorked his usual late rally to score in his first try against stakes company with driver Atlee Bender.

Away from post six as the 3-5 favorite, Tell's Chip settled in the sixth spot early while Soggy Man (John De Long) took control through a 26 4/5 first split. Soggy Man remained on top to the half in 55 seconds before taking the pacers to three-quarters in 1:23 3/5 while Tell's Chip spotted the leader nine lengths, gapping cover third-over from seventh and last. Soggy Man opened up midway through the lane before Tell's Chip got straightened away and began to pick up steam on the far outside. Rocketing home in 26 1/5, Tell's Chip went from sixth to first in the last eighth of a mile to rally past Soggy Man by a quarter-length in a career-best 1:51 1/5. Another Mile Again (Trace Tetrick) rallied along the cones to get up for third.

Tell's Chip has won four of six this season for trainer Erv Miller, racking up $60,081 on the year. Bred by Devon Beachy, the Tellitlikeitis-Jaded Dream gelding is owned by Ervin Miller Stables and Jerry Graham. Tell’s Chip paid $3.20 to win.

Nothing could separate Fitterjake, driven by Anthony Miller for trainer Aaron Stutzman, and Era Dominance, driven by Joey Putnam for trainer Michael Hitchcock, as the duo battled to a dead-heat in the $129,000 event for 2-year-old pacing fillies.

Fitterjake lined up in post one as Era Dominance started in post six, and the latter challenged for the lead early against Owleo's Pride (Trace Tetrick) to the first quarter in 26 2/5. Mystical Jk (Kyle Wilfong) wasted no time gearing up for an early bid at the lead to show the group to the halfway mark in 54 2/5. Fitterjake then followed suit, blazing along the outside to take the helm. Callie Rocks (Kevin Detweiler) joined in on the action before stalling at the leader. Fitterjake knocked down the three-quarters in 1:23 as Mystical Jk held onto second. Down the stretch, Era Dominance angled down to the rail before sliding in between Owleo's Pride and Mystical Jk to take aim at the leader. Fitterjake looked to have tied a bow on the race, but Era Dominance put up a final quarter time of 27 1/5 to nail Fitterjake for a dead-heat at the wire in 1:50 1/5. Owleo's Pride held on for third.

Fitterjake stayed perfect for her fifth career win to increase her career earnings to $151,625. The Jk Endofanera-For Sharks Sake filly is owned and was bred by James Miller. Fitterjake paid $2.80 to win.

Era Dominance, a Jk Endofanera-Always Soggy filly is owned by William Hartt and was bred by Let It Ride Stables Inc. and J L Benson Stables Inc. Era Dominance spiked her lifetime earnings to $71,735 in her third win of the season. Era Dominance paid $5.20 to win.

In the $49,000 first division for sophomore trotting males, the complexion changed early when 1-9 favorite Dan D Man Can went off stride leaving the gate prior to a front-end score for Bravo Alpha.

Leaving from the rail, driver Trace Tetrick grabbed control from the outset, trotting to the opening quarter in a tepid 28 seconds with Woodside Julius (Marcus Miller) tracking in second. Bravo Alpha went unchallenged in the middle stages, leading to the head of the stretch off fractions of 57 seconds and 1:25 1/5. Bravo Alpha opened up in the lane, with Woodside Julius beginning to gap while Pilot's Lucky Day (Brad Feguson) was mired between that rival and August Salazar (John De Long) on the outside. Pilot's Lucky Day shook loose late, taking a late shot at Bravo Alpha along the cones before coming up a half-length short of the pace-setter, who crossed the wire in 1:53 3/5. August Salazar rallied for the show position.

Trained by Doug Rideout, Bravo Alpha has won back-to-back on the season and four of 16 on the year. Bred by Hoosier Standardbred Farm, the gelded son of Fiftydallarbill-Life Dream Hanover has banked $79,175 on the year and $200,309 lifetime for owners Julie Rideout, Alan White, Dave Gamble and D&S Stable. Bravo Alpha paid $12.20 to win.

In the $48,500 second split, Inverness Ave remained hot, picking up his third straight victory with Kevin Lambright aboard. Inverness Ave got away in second from his rail starting spot, tracking Swan Affect (Marcus Miller) to the quarter pole in 27 3/5. Lambright right-lined the even-money favorite on the backstretch, trotting to the point en route to the half in 56 3/5 before moving onto three-quarters in 1:25 1/5. Under Lambright urging in the stretch, Inverness Ave sprinted home in 27 2/5 to hold Swan Affect and Tuggin Thomas (Trace Tetrick) at bay by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:52 1/5.

Trained by Ernie Gaskin, Inverness Ave has won six of 18 on the year for owners Theodore Engel, Douglas Shore and the Ernie Gaskin Stables. The Helpisontheway-Arvika gelding was bred by The Bay's Stable, Polger Holdings and Little E LLC. Inverness Ave has banked $142,290 on the year and $206,835 lifetime. Inverness Ave paid $4 to win.

A single $20,000 split for each of the four aged groups was contested on the evening as well, with Revin For Dallars ($5.60) rallying in a career best 1:51 1/5 to take the male trot with Jordan Ross aboard for Luis Quevedo. Can'ttouchthese ($2.10) wired the field in 1:50 1/5 to take the mare pace with John De Long driving for Roger Welch. De Long would also take the male pace with M-M's Bud ($3.80), rallying to score in 1:50 for trainer Alvin Miller.

Contested in a non-betting race prior to the main card, Yo Beth D took the mare trot in 1:52 with Kyle Wilfong driving for trainer Ken Rucker.

Live racing for the week concludes on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Harrah's Hoosier Park with a 14-race program set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. (EDT). Then, the Anderson, Indiana, oval gears up for the Grade 1 Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty Memorials for the sport's best 2-year-old trotters next week, with those events taking place on Friday, Sept. 18, along with the $80,000 Hoosier Cup.

For more information on the live racing season at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

--press release (Hoosier)--