Hold On Angel, Black Nova surprise in Indiana-bred stakes

The chalk took it on the chin in a pair of stakes races Wednesday at Indiana Grand.

In the $103,400 Hoosier Breeders’ Sophomore, open to Indiana-bred 3-year-olds, Hold On Angel seized the early lead and never let go, winning by 5 1/2 lengths at odds of more than 13-1, easily the longest price in a five-horse field. The Money Dance, the 3-5 favorite, struggled from the start and beat one horse.

That was nothing compared to the $105,650 filly division of the Hoosier Breeders’ Sophomore, where 77-1 shot Black Nova finished determinedly to best 1-2 favorite Flurry by a half-length.

Black Nova had lost eight times in Indiana-bred maiden special weight competition before Wednesday’s race, but her three starts this season showed marked improvement over her 2017 form.

“It was just day and night difference between last year and this year,” said Ronald Brown, who owns and trains the filly.

Still, Black Nova had finished second by more than seven lengths in her most recent start and it was difficult to see this breakthrough coming – as evidenced by her win price. But with Flurry softened up early by Prompted as the two raced on the lead through a 47.17-second half-mile, Black Nova got a dream run under Fernando De La Cruz while saving ground and tucked in behind the pacesetters.

De La Cruz went to his crop with a quarter-mile still to run and Black Nova responded, pushing past the favorite in the final furlong to register a shock victory. She paid $155.40 to win and was timed in 1:44.67 for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track, as Obsolete finished third. Black Nova, bred by Crystal Chapple, is by Holiday Promise and out of Spousal Privilege, by Successful Appeal.

The Money Dance had run three races this spring that would comfortably have won the open division of the Breeders’ Sophomore, but he did not run that race Wednesday. Instead, it was Hold On Angel who set out for the lead under Rodney Prescott, went a half-mile in 47.88 seconds and never was threatened. He won comfortably as Sir Brogan finished a distant, one-paced second, Redyornothereicome third, The Money Dance fourth, and Bandido de Amores last. Sky Writer and Wholelotachocolate, the latter the likely second choice, were scratched.

Hold On Angel ($28.80) was timed in 1:43.36 for 1 1/16-miles on a fast track. Bred by Walter Bates, Hold On Angel is by Hold Me Back and out of Angel’s Royalty, by Mesopotamia, and is owned by Clabar Mor Stable and Haran Thoroughbreds. John Haran trains the colt, who lost his first 10 starts before easily winning an Indiana-bred maiden race leading into Wednesday’s upset.