Harrah's Hoosier Park: Southwind Gendry, Perfect Sting star in Breeders Crown elims

Perfect Sting remained perfect on the season with an authoritative performance in the second of two $25,000 eliminations of the Breeders Crown juvenile pacing colt and gelding division on Friday night (Oct. 23) at Harrah's Hoosier Park. Southwind Gendry continued his successful stakes winning streak as well, capturing the first $25,000 elimination to notch his seventh straight win.

Perfect Sting, the royally-bred son of champions Always B Miki and Shebestingin, scored effortlessly in 1:50 4/5, leaving pocket-sitting rival Summa Cum Laude four lengths behind at the wire.

Driver David Miller left for early placement, allowing Bayfield Beach to claim the early lead, with Summa Cum Laude and Yannick Gingras getting parked past the 26 3/5 opening quarter to take control. At that point, Miller gunned Perfect Sting to the front and cleared before reaching the half-mile in 55 1/5.

The Joe Holloway trainee was in relaxation mode the third quarter, leading the field through a pedestrian 29 2/5 fraction. Some 13 days earlier, rival Summa Cum Laude nearly defeated Perfect Sting at Lexington while on the lead, that foe proved powerless to keep contact with Perfect Sting - who effortlessly expanded his lead to 3 3/4 lengths with a 26 1/5 final quarter over a rain-soaked surface rated sloppy.

The biggest battle was for the place spot, as Always A Miki cleared road trouble in mid-stretch and just missed catching Summa Cum Laude for second. Abuckabett Hanover and driver Andy McCarthy made a furious rally and was lapped on that pair, but settled for fourth. Early leader Bayfield Beach claimed the final qualifying berth.

Owned and bred by Brittany Farms (Geoge Segal) and Val D'Or Farms (Martin Granoff), Perfect Sting has won all nine of his career starts.

Southwind Gendry extended his stakes winning streak in capturing the first $25,000 elimination. Gingras guided the gelding from the first crop of Always B Miki to an impressive 1:51 victory.

Indiana Sires Stakes champion JK Going West and driver LeWayne Miller pushed the early tempo, clearing the lead ahead of Captains Place in a 27 second first quarter while Gingras got away in third position with the 2-5 favorite Southwind Gendry. Coming off the bend, Southwind Gendry made a methodical move up the backstretch to gain control while hardly stressed through a 56 4/5 first half.

Gingras didn't allow an outer flow to develop as he picked up the pace with Southwind Gendry, making others work through three-quarters in 1:25 1/5. It was essentially a one-horse race from there, as the Ron Burke trainee hit high gear and powered through a wind-aided 25 4/5 final quarter. Caviart Lotus and driver Tim Tetrick rallied late for the place spot, three lengths back, with early leader JK Going West along for third. Literl Lad Hanover and Captains Place completed the top five that qualified for the final.

It was the ninth victory in 11 starts this year - and the seventh in a row - for Southwind Gendry. Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Phil Collura, Knox Services, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, Southwind Gendry was bred by Southwind Farms.

"He was real strong. I got to go slow, and it's definitely a tail wind finishing, but he's such a nice horse. He's got high gears, and I'm looking forward to next week," remarked Gingras.

Here is how the field will line up behind the gate for next Friday night's $600,000 final:

1-JK Going West
2-Perfect Sting
3-Southwind Gendry
4-Always A Miki
5-Bayfield Beach
6-Summa Cum Laude
7-Abuckabett Hanover
8-Caviart Lotus
9-Captains Place
10-Literl Lad Hanover
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