Harrah's Hoosier Park: Indiana Sires Stakes races galore on Friday

Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to a stakes-filled card on Friday, October 4 and showcased a preview of what to expect for next week’s $2 million Hoosier Champions Night. Two divisions for the sophomore pacers of both sexes highlighted the evening’s 14-race card as they brought the curtain down and completed the eighth and final round of their preliminary Indiana Sires Stakes action.

Trainer Melissa Essig sent two horses postward and scored a training double in stakes action on the evening. Shamwow and LeWayne Miller utilized their customary late rally to best their rivals and take the first $48,5000 division for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Stopping the timer in 1:50, Shamwow used the long Hoosier Park stretch to his advantage and an impressive 25 second closing kick to track down Tellmeaboutit and Mike Oosting steps before the wire.

“We wanted to race him off-the-pace again,” Miller noted about the colt’s trip. “He’s extremely quick. He has a really quick turn of foot, and they have done a great job teaching him to race and how to use his speed. He’s really sharp right now.”

Unraced as a 2-year-old, the homebred son of Always A Virgin-Bolero Takara notched his sixth win from nine starts this season. Owned by Cornerstone Stock Farm, Shamwow has yet to finish worse than second in his young career and now sports a lifetime bankroll of $121,125.

Team Essig would find the winner’s circle just a few races later after the heavily-favored Little Rocket Man and Trace Tetrick arrived late on the scene to score in 1:49 4/5 in their split of the stakes action for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings. After sitting last for much of the mile, Tetrick waited to make his move and when he did, Little Rocket Man went from last to first with a 26 second final quarter to get the win.

Also unraced as a 2-year-old, Little Rocket Man has made up for lost time at three. With 16 lifetime starts, the gelded son of Rockin Image-GT Miss Royal owns a 16-11-1-1 record. Little Rocket Man has now earned $170,380 in lifetime purse earnings for Russell Beeman and Jack Freeman.

The Hoosier state’s top 3-year-old pacing fillies turned in impressive performances of their own as they squared off in two $48,500 divisions. Divisional leader Fully A Virgin continued her winning ways and scored in the first split with Oosting in the bike. Stopping the timer in 1:50 2/5, Fully A Virgin powered past her tiring rivals and held off all challengers late in the lane to get the win by nearly two lengths.

“She’s so laid back and easy on herself all the time, I think that’s why she is so fresh and sound at this point in the season,” trainer Shane Bowermaster noted after the win. “That, and the fact that Mike (Oosting) has driven her absolutely flawless every single start for me— I owe a lot to Mike for taking care of her and now I can really do my job and make sure she is ready to go for next week.”

With the win, Fully A Virgin improved her record to 15-7-4-2 this season. Owned and bred by Emerald Highlands Farm, the daughter of Always A Virgin-Full Of Gold pushed her lifetime purse earnings to $229,680.

After it appeared it was going to be a night for favorites, This Peach Rocks and Ross Leonard pulled off the slight upset in the second division of the stakes action for 3-year-old pacing fillies. Leonard wasted no time and sent This Peach Rocks to the front from post one, and she made every call a winning one, scoring in 1:51 2/5.

Leonard also trains the daughter of Rockin Image-Peachy Yankee who recorded her fourth win of the season from 20 trips behind the gate. Owned and bred by Victory Hill Farm, This Peach Rocks pushed her lifetime purse earnings over the $100,000 mark with the win.

The aged contenders for Indiana Sires Stakes action also took to the stage on Friday. While all eyes have been on the 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds prepping for the upcoming Super Finals, the aged competitors squared off in their eliminations to compete for a spot behind the gate in their respective $50,000 Aged Sires Stakes finals. Favorites mainly dominated, with wins from Rockin N Runnin, Tookadiveoffdipper and Shnitzledosomethin, but one price found a win with Voom Or Bang. The aged trotting divisions did not require eliminations.

The aged stakes action kicked off with the pacing mares, and it was Rockin N Runnin who turned a pocket trip into a victory and overcame a heavy favorite at the wire. Stopping the clock in 1:51 1/5, Rockin N Runnin made her sixth consecutive trip to the winner’s circle, guided by trainer/driver Ross Leonard.

When the wings of the gate opened, heavy favorite Golden Paradise, with Trace Tetrick, went straight to the lead. Rockin N Runnin opted for a pocket trip, while Indiana Sires Stakes champion Seventimesavirgin, with John De Long, followed intently third. The order remained unchanged and Golden Paradise went uncontested through fractions of 27 1/5, 56 3/5, and 1:25. As the horses turned for home, Golden Paradise’s lead shortened and Rockin N Runnin was looming large in the pocket. The mares matched strides, but Rockin N Runnin reached the wire first by a head, paying $5.00 to win. Golden Paradise held on for second, and Seventimesavirgin secured her spot in third.

“What makes her so good is that she’s so versatile,” Leonard noted in the winner’s circle. “We purchased her in 2017, and we’ve had no expectations with her. We’ve taken our time and let her tell us what she can handle. I have to give the credit to my family for getting her back to the races. She is one of the toughest race horses we have ever had.”

After being unraced last season due to injury, Rockin N Runnin has rewarded her connections this season for their patience. With the win, she has now won 10 of 15 starts this season and sports a lifetime bankroll of $130,474 for owners Dandy Farms Racing, Gregory Samples, and Rachel Leonard. Rockin N Runnin is a 5-year-old daughter of Rockin Image-Mysterious Dragon and was bred by Merlin Van Otterloo.

In the first division for the aged pacing stallions and geldings, Tookadiveoffdipper and De Long properly played the role of post-time favorite and turned in a decisive gate-to-wire performance to get the win. Utilizing a final quarter of 26 seconds, Tookadiveoffdipper dug in gamely late in the lane to stop the timer in 1:50.

Tookadiveoffdipper grabbed the lead from the start and rattled off fractions of 26 3/5, 55 3/5, and 1:24 while Incredible Shark and Sam Widger benefited from a pocket trip. Turning for home, Tookadiveoffdipper appeared strong on the front. Incredible Shark pulled from the pocket, but Tookadiveoffdipper found another gear to get the win, paying $3.80 at the betting windows. Incredible Shark’s effort paid off in a second-place finish, and Rockin Speed and Jared Seekman were third.

Tookadiveoffdipper, the son of Always A Virgin-Onceinabluemoon, has now won 28 of 73 lifetime starts and sports a lifetime bankroll of $277,006 for owners Jane Cross and Mark Cross. He was bred by Van Oterloo Stables.

The second aged pacing mare elimination brought a price to the winner’s circle, along with back-to-back wins for trainer Roger Welch. Sent off at 13-1, Voom Or Bang and De Long grabbed the victory, and the mare paid $28.80 to win.

When the wings of the gate opened, Rockin Serena, with Peter Wrenn, took the lead and guided the field through fractions of 26 1/5, 55 2/5, and 1:24 2/5. When the field turned for home, Voom Or Bang saved her best for last and surged past her rivals late in the lane to get the win in 1:52. Rockin Serena held on for second, and Letme Fly Low, with LeWayne Miller, staged a late rally for third.

Voom Or Bang, the daughter of Always A Virgin-Vavoom Hanover, has now recorded 13 lifetime wins and has amassed $411,932 in lifetime purse earnings for owners William De Long, Patrick De Long, Jesse De Long, and John De Long. The mare was bred by Cottonwood Farms.

The final aged event was the second division for the pacing stallions and geldings. Sent off as the heavy post time favorite, Shnitzledosomethin returned to Harrah’s Hoosier Park for the first time this season and went gate-to-wire in 1:50 4/5 with Wrenn in the bike. The Dylan Davis trainee has been racing on the east coast, but is no stranger to the Hoosier Park oval and will be looking to secure his first Indiana Sires Stakes title next week.

Shnitzledosomethin grabbed the lead as soon as the gate opened, followed gamely by Granite, with Todd Warren. Shnitzledosomethin clicked off fractions of 26 3/5, 55 3/5, and 1:24 1/5 before ever feeling a threat from the rest of the field. Turning for home, the pocket-sitting Granite and Warren made a bid at the leader, but Shnitzledosomethin was too determined and charged to the wire, finishing almost two lengths ahead of the second-place Granite. Dave And Dennis, with Joey Putnam, rounded out the trifecta. Shniztledosomethin paid $2.40 to win at the betting windows.

Now in his 4-year-old season, the son of Fred And Ginger-Summer N Sand has won five of 15 starts in 2019. Shnitzledosomethin has now won 14 of 48 lifetime starts and sports a lifetime bankroll of $695,862 for owners Bfj Stable, Thomas Lazzaro, Edwin Gold, and Abraham Basen.

The 2019 Indiana Sires Stakes season will come to a close at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, October 11 with the annual Hoosier Champions Night. With purses in excess of $2 million, the evening’s racing action will feature the $250,000 Super Finals for the 2-and 3-year-old competitors, and the $50,000 finals for the aged competitors. The evening will also feature free hats to the first 500 guests to Trackside Caesars Rewards, a Hoosier Champions Pick’em kiosk game, winner’s circle giveaways, and the $10,000 Guaranteed Hoosier High 5 in race 14.

--press release (Harrah's Hoosier Park)--