Harrah's Hoosier Park: Operator, Avanti successfully defend their home turf

A pair of Hoosier State-breds, trotter Operator and pacer Avanti, picked up Grand Circuit victories in the $100,000 Madison County and $100,000 Elevation for 2-year-old colts and geldings on Friday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park.

In the Madison County for trotters, 11-1 shot Operator (Kyle Wilfong) put up fractions of 29 1/5, 58 3/5 and 1:27, and his 27 3/5 final quarter got him the win by a neck in a life's-best 1:54 3/5. Monserrate (Todd McCarthy), an 18-1 offering, tipped out two-wide from fourth nearing three-quarters and finished well to get second and pocket-sitter and favorite Cheers Hanover (David Miller) checked in third.

A gelding by You Know You Do, Operator is trained by Jay Hochstetler for owners Connie Hochstetler, Homer Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz. Operator has a summary of 3-1-0 from eight appearances, has banked $85,005 and paid $25.40 to win.

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TH Colby (Yannick Gingras) drove on two-wide from the outside post nine to take the top spot away from Avanti (John De Long) at the 27 2/5 quarter in the Elevation, but De Long wanted the front and re-moved Avanti to the point in the backstretch. From there, Avanti clicked off middle-half panels of 56 1/5 and 1:24 2/5 and held sway in the stretch over a rallying Odds On Brahmastra (Peter Wrenn) to prevail by a quarter of a length in a lifetime mark of 1:51 1/5. TH Colby wound up third.

Avanti is a Rockin Image gelding and was sent out by trainer Missy Essig for owners Rocco Ruffolo and Fac Racing LLC. Bred by Jake Schwartz with Pond-A-Acres, Avanti has a pair of victories and five runner-up finishes from ten tries, has put away $111,900 and returned $6.40 to win.