Harrah's Hoosier Park: Pub Crawl trots to Crossroads of America crown

Pub Crawl survived a tough shuffle on the final turn and rallied back late for driver Peter Wrenn to capture the $105,000 Crossroads Of America Trot for 3-year-old fillies on Friday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park. Wrenn swept both halves of the sophomore trotting stakes with the victory by the Bar Hopping lass, who stopped the timer in 1:54 even.

Queen Of All and driver Yannick Gingras zipped out of the gate to quick command into the opening bend. Pub Crawl was wide much of the first quarter before securing the lead in the 27 1/5 fraction. Katies Lucky Day was three-wide the entire first quarter and needed an extra sixteenth before clearing the top. Once in control, Katies Lucky Day was immediately put under pressure by the odds-on favorite Empressive Hill and Tim Tetrick. It was Empressive Hill on top at the half in 55 4/5, and Tetrick and the Muscle Hill-sired filly opened ground on the field heading to the three-quarters in 1:25 flat.

Empressive Hill showed signs of fatigue as the field passed mid-stretch, and Wrenn had weaved off the pylons past a struggling Katies Lucky Day and found room to the inside where Pub Crawl began to make up ground on the leader. Wrenn had plenty of power, as he urged the Julie Miller-trained filly home to a safe win. Material Girl and driver Trace Tetrick rallied from the back of the pack at headstretch and were widest of all finishing to get the place spot, while Queen Of All and Gingras rallied back for third. Favorite Empressive Hill faded to fourth.

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Sent off as the 6-1 third choice in the field, Pub Crawl returned $15 in winning for the sixth time this season.

Marvin & Lynn Katz, Al Libfeld, and Sam Goldband share ownership in Pub Crawl.

"She went a great race," said Wrenn, who had driven her to a third-place finish in last week's Circle City at Hoosier.