Harrah's Hoosier Park: Rock The Charm, Somemore Blue tally in Indiana Sire Stakes

It was a tale of two divisions when it came to the opening leg of Indiana Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies Wednesday (July 9) at Harrah's Hoosier Park, with Rock The Charm delivering a 12-1 upset in an eventful first split, and Somemore Blue cruising as the favorite in the second.

Leaving from post five in the $67,500 first division, driver John De Long settled Rock The Charm in third on the first turn while In The Passing Ln (Atlee Bender) raced around Change Of Order (Kyle Wilfong) through a first quarter of 28 seconds over the sloppy going. In The Passing Ln cleared on the backstretch, tapping the brakes once in charge to the half in 57 1/5 before taking the field to three-quarters in 1:25 4/5 while Ponda Lime (Joey Putnam) raced first-up at the leader's wheel.

After turning for home, In The Passing Ln took a bad step at the top of the stretch, going off-stride on the lead and creating interference with the pocket-sitting Change Of Order. Rock The Charm had to evade the commotion up front but once clear now faced a 2 1/2 length deficit to Ponda Lime with an eighth of a mile to go. Powering home in 26 4/5, Rock The Charm tracked down and passed a green Ponda Lime, who began to get on a line late, reaching the wire two lengths clear in 1:53 2/5. Cruisen Halle (Mike Oosting) rallied late to be third, narrowly missing the place spot.

The $68,000 second division proved more formful as Somemore Blue and driver Marcus Miller skimmed the cones late to score as the 9-5 favorite. Leaving from post six, Miller rocketed Somemore Blue to the top early, leading the field of nine to the quarter in 27 3/5. Somemore Blue slowed things down on the backstretch before Milliondollarimage (Kyle Wilfong) brushed alongside from fourth at the half in 58 2/5. Milliondollarimage cleared entering the turn with momentum carrying her to three-quarters in 1:26 2/5 while Somemore Blue was pinned in the pocket at that point as Miss Alexis (Atlee Bender) raced to her outside.

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The field started to close in on Milliondollarimage turning for home, with Somemore Blue desperate for racing room before the leader drifted slightly off the cones. Surging up the inside, Somemore Blue fired through the gap in 26 4/5 before pacing well clear by 2 1/4 lengths on the wire to stop the timer in 1:53 3/5. Milliondollarimage held gamely for second, with Tell It Like This (Trace Tetrick) finishing third.

Erv Miller trains the winning daughter of Rockin Image-Missomebeach Blue for owners Doug Overhiser, Kenneth Duffy, Lava Java Stable and Never 2 Late Stable. Lavon Miller bred Somemore Blue, who is now two-for-two in her young career with earnings of $38,600.

Racing continues at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Thursday, July 10 with a 14-race program set to begin at 6:15 p.m. (EDT). The Thursday card features four splits of Indiana Sire Stakes for the 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings, in addition to a $7,500 guaranteed early Pick 5 (races 1-5), and $10,000 guarantees in the late Pick 4 (races 11-14) and late Hoosier High 5 (race 14), with the latter two guarantees done in partnership with the USTA's Strategic Wagering Program.

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