Harrah's Hoosier: This Is The Plan defends Pacing Derby crown

This Is The Plan took the Harrah's Hoosier Park Pacing Derby for the second straight year and led a 1-2-3 finish for trainer Ron Burke in the $140,000 event for free-for-all pacers on Friday night. Driven by Dexter Dunn, This Is The Plan was a 7-1 shot and completed the mile in 1:49 1/5.

Starting from post three, Dunn got This Is The Plan into the pocket behind American History (Joe Bongiorno) and watched that horse hit the opening quarter in 25 4/5 and the half in 54 4/5. Just prior to the half, Backstreet Shadow (Tim Tetrick) was brought to the outside from third, and he was able to forge his way by American History early on the last turn, leaving Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley) first-over and shuffling This Is The Plan back along the inside.

Backstreet Shadow turned for home first after putting three-quarters on the board in 1:22, but the closers came to life in the final eighth, and This Is The Plan, who squeezed out two-wide in upper stretch to get past a retreating American History and then shifted back to the inside, had the best kick, rallying on to the victory by three-parts of a length. Filibuster Hanover (Chris Page), who angled out into a third-over position just before three-quarters, also dove to the pylons through the lane and closed well for second, and Dorsoduro Hanover wound up third after battling on after losing his cover. Workin Ona Mystery (Trace Tetrick) was the fourth-place finisher, and Sintra (John De Long) came in fifth.

"I talked to Ronnie and Murph (second trainer Shannon Murphy) and the team before the race, and they said the horse has been really good without a lot of luck this season," remarked Dunn. "They were pretty confident he could run a big mile. Ronnie's only instruction was to get him out of there and get him handy. I was going along in the two-hole there and got in a little bit of a tricky spot coming around the last turn. We got some lucky gaps and the horse really did respond well. He rattled home good."

A 5-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding, This Is The Plan is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Larry Karr. This Is The Plan picked up his 13th career victory, and he has now earned $1,555,412. He paid $17.80 to win.