Harrah's Hoosier: Track Record mile by Dover In Motion in ISS Super Final

Dover In Motion, M-M's Dream, Dalby Hanover, and Trick Of The Light wound up as this year's Indiana Sires Stakes champions in the 2-year-old divisions after winning their respective $270,000 Super Finals on Friday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park.

In his Super Final, Dover In Motion lowered the track record for a 2-year-old gelding trotter by one-fifth of a second after winning in 1:53 2/5. Yo Mister (James Yoder) led through panels of 27 3/5, 57 1/5, and 1:26, but Dover In Motion (Ricky Macomber Jr.), who had moved first-over from third past the half, was challenging him at three-quarters. In the lane Dover In Motion took command, and he held sway over a passing lane-rallying Ponda Adventure (Trace Tetrick) to prevail by a length. Swan Captain (John De Long) finished third.

"He gets a little hikey in the first turn, but once you get through the first turn, you can do whatever you want with him," relayed winning trainer Jamie Macomber. "Typically you have some pressure to stay undefeated in your home state, but Dover had made it pretty easy. He's an easy horse."

From the first crop of Dover Dan, Dover In Motion is trained by Macomber for owners M & M Racing and Norbert Maza. Dover In Motion, a gelding out of the Yankee Glide mare Keystone Sadie, was bred by Lyle Schlabach and brought $50,000 at the 2020 Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale. Dover In Motion, who has eight victories from nine starts and a bankroll of $319,400, paid $3.60 to win as the favorite.

M-M's Dream (Sam Widger) raced in fourth at the 28 1/5 quarter, 57 2/5 half, and 1:27 2/5 three-quarters in the filly trot, and she was positioned second-over behind Jusmakinyalook (Jordan Ross) with a quarter of a mile to go. In the lane Jusmakinyalook made a break, and despite swinging out an extra path, M-M's Dream kept her momentum going and chased down leader Fleurie (Peter Wrenn) to get the victory by a length and a half in 1:55. Simply Right (Tim Tetrick) was the third-place finisher.

"I like her going forward and stuff, but she was a little hotter than I like, so my big concern was just getting her flat through that turn," stated Widger. "As long as she has something to shoot at, she's a fighter. She likes to hunt them down."

A filly by Swan For All and out of Trading Places (Classic Photo), M-M's Dream is trained by Henry Graber Jr. for owners Eleven Star Stables, Frank Baldachino, and Hillside Stables. Bred by Mervin Miller and an $18,500 purchase at last year's Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale, she has six wins and a second from eight attempts, has now earned $278,462, and returned $4.80 to win.

"You can see the Indiana-breds are Grand Circuit-type horses," offered Baldachino. "You might see her next year on the Grand Circuit a little bit here and there."

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By far the biggest upset of the night came in the colt and gelding pace as 58-1 shot Dalby Hanover (Joey Putnam) took advantage of a wild pace to win from third-over in 1:50 2/5.

80-1 shot Yourwishisgranted (Jay Cross) pressed on to the top after a 25 3/5 opening quarter and then left out 1-5 favorite Fulfullnmydestiny (Yoder) to a 53 4/5 half. Yoder was able to back down the tempo to 1:23 1/5 at three-quarters, but Fulfullnmydestiny tired in the lane, and the closers swarmed in. Dalby Hanover had the best kick after fanning out in the stretch, and he scored by a length and a half over Thunder Country (De Long). Bowie Rocks (Macomber Jr.) took third.

"We were third-over, but the tempo was pretty hot from the word go, and I kind of liked how it was setting up," remarked Putnam. "The horse has been pretty good. He had a couple of rough starts, but I kind of liked where I was sitting around the bottom turn, and when we asked him to go for home, he had it all.

"[Fulfullnmydestiny] has been awesome, but 53 for anything is tough."

The victorious Rockin Image-Don't Deny Me (Allamerican Ingot) gelding is trained by Brittney Dillon for owner Charles Stein. Dalby Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, fetched $15,000 at the 2020 Standardbred Horse Sale and made his third appearance in the winner's circle. He has now stashed away $235,962 and paid $119.40 to win.

Driven by Trace Tetrick in the filly pace, Trick Of The Light was victorious in 1:51 1/5. She brushed from third to first before the 54 2/5 half, kept command to the 1:22 4/5 three-quarters, and then dug in determinedly through the lane to fend off a host of challengers for a half-length decision. Ms Quick Sand (Brandon Bates) got up for second at 77-1, and Always Gonna B You (De Long) battled with the eventual winner from first-over and ended up third.

"I was nervous at the half in 54 and a piece, but she dug in and fought all the way to the wire tonight," said winning trainer Brian Brown.

Trick Of The Light, from the first crop of Odds On Equuleus and out of the Dragon Again mare Gordjus, is trained by Brown for owners Country Club Acres Inc., Joe Sbrocco, and Kirk Nichols. Bred by Adam Eicher, she was a $50,000 buy at the 2020 Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale. She has compiled a record of 3-3-0 from nine starts, has pocketed $237,250, and paid $9.60 to win.