Harrah's Hoosier Park: Rock Shines Again, Avanti Dazzle In Indiana Sire Stakes

A full house at Harrah's Hoosier Park got to see fireworks both on and off the track on Friday, July 4, as Rock Shines Again remained perfect on the season and Avanti pulled a 17-1 shocker in divisions of the fourth leg of Indiana Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Rock Shines Again made his first appearance in Indiana Sire Stakes for the season in the $49,000 first split, leaving as the even-money second choice from the outside post six with Trace Tetrick in the bike. Tetrick hustled the Tyler George trainee out of the gate, sprinting to the top from the outside to lead the field to the quarter in 26 1/5. Tetrick let Rock Shines Again roll on the backstretch, pacing to the half in 54 1/5 when 4-5 favorite Chandler Bing (Jay Cross) pulled first-over from third. Chandler Bing worked to the leader's wheel on the final turn while Rock Shines Again sped to three-quarters in 1:22 2/5.

Tetrick began to ask more of Rock Shines Again turning for home, and he responded by separating from the field midway through the lane. Sprinting home in 26 2/5, Rock Shines Again romped by 3 1/4 lengths on the line in a career-best 1:48 4/5. Pocket-sitter Rockin Mudslinger (Jordan Ross) finished ahead of Starlit Millertime (Atlee Bender) for second.

Owned by Richard Redder and T G Stable, Rock Shines Again is perfect through six starts this season since joining the George barn after a winless 11-start campaign at two. The gelded son of Rockin Image-Bikini Star has banked $48,500 on the season.

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In the $49,500 second split, Avanti and driver John De Long converted a perfect second-over trip to pull a 17-1 shocker. Leaving from post six, De Long landed Avanti in the sixth position early while Book The Fight (Trace Tetrick) worked around Checking Out (Brad Ferguson) to cut the quarter in 26 3/5. Book The Fight backed things down to the half in 55 1/5 when Avanti flushed the cover of 1-5 favorite Deal The Odds (Joey Putnam) entering the final turn. Deal The Odds wheeled alongside Book The Fight at three-quarters in 1:24 as Avanti stalked the dueling leaders.

Deal The Odds grabbed a short lead turning for home, with Book The Fight looking to counter to his inside and De Long tipping Avanti three-wide. Rolling home in 26 3/5, Avanti surged late to secure the victory by three-parts of a length in 1:50 4/5. Book The Fight finished a game second, with Deal The Odds finishing third.

The victory was the second of the season in eight tries for the Missy Essig-trained Avanti, who is owned by Rocco Ruffolo and Fac Racing. The gelded son of Rockin Image-Sayulita has banked $56,500 on the year and $221,650 lifetime.

The Friday card kicked-off with a 1:48 2/5 front-end Little Rocket Man victory in the $22,000 Open Pace over Golden Bay N (Trace Tetrick) and Alta Revelry N (John De Long). Mike Oosting drove the 9-year-old son of Rockin Image-GT Miss Royal for trainer Ken Rucker and owners Russ Beeman and Boomer Freeman. The ageless wonder has won six of eight on the year and 74 times overall for his career in 127 starts, banking just shy of $1.8 million.

A flurry of late prices also triggered multiple carryovers into the 14-race Saturday (July 5) card. There will be a carryover of $5,494 into the early Pick 4 (Races 6-9), in addition to a $3,065 carryover in the early Pick 3 (Races 2-4) and a $1,715 carryover in the Pick 6 (Races 4-9).

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