Hoosier Park: Always A Prince inherits victory via placing, Youaremycandygirl crushes

Always A Prince was placed the winner of the $190,000 Monument Circle for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, and Youaremycandygirl showed no ill effects after battling with Kissin In The Sand in the Breeders Crown just six nights ago, rolling to a dominating win in the $113,000 U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial for sophomore pacing fillies on Friday night at Hoosier Park.

In the Monument Circle Lather Up (Montrell Teague) grabbed commmand going to the 27 1/5 opening quarter, but he was attacked and then overtaken by Breeders Crown winner Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley) in the backstretch, and Dorsoduro Hanover got to the top passing the 55-second half.

Indiana standout Always A Prince then came first-up from third for driver Trace Tetrick, and he would get side-by-side with Dorsoduro Hanover at the 1:22 three-quarters. The top two also gained separation on the field at that time as Lather Up made a break at the mid-point of the final bend.

In the lane Always A Prince overhauled Dorsoduro Hanover and looked to kick away from him and the closers, but Lather Up, who had recovered from the final turn mishap, came three-wide to their outside and went by both of them, crossing the finish line two lengths to the good in a 1:49 1/5 mile.

Unfortunately for him and his connections, Lather Up would be placed back to eighth by the judges following an inquiry, as he was deemed to have interfered with Nutcracker Sweet (Yannick Gingras) while on that break on the last turn. That elevated Always A Prince to the win, Dorsoduro Hanover to second, and Rockinbeach (Ricky Macomber Jr.) to third.

"We raced him a couple weeks ago in the Pegasus, and we opted to give him a week off to get ready for today," remarked winning trainer Tyler George. "We got him from Bill Dailey, and he works them a lot and properly. All summer we just kept the work to him really and kept him out in the paddock a little bit. He seems to like it, so so far so good. He doesn't get excited, he doesn't pull, he doesn't do anything wrong at all. He's flawless-gaited, and he eats good."

Always A Prince made all of his starts this year in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, and according to George, things are pretty much going to remain that way in 2019.

"I think we're going to put him in the little series for the 4-year-olds, maybe some here, Scioto, things locally," he said. "That's the plan."

George trains Always A Prince, an Always A Virgin gelding, for owners Carl and Melanie Atley. Always A Prince, who was unraced as a 2-year-old, has a record of 19-1-0 from 22 attempts this year, and he has banked $492,875. Sent off as the 5-2 second choice, Always A Prince returned $7.20 to win.

Back in the U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial, it was all Youaremycandygirl (Gingras) as she obliterated the field in a 1:50 1/5 performance.

Starting from post six, she took charge of the race just past the 27 1/5 first quarter, then backed down the half to just 56 seconds flat. She began to get away from the competition on the last turn, reaching three-quarters in 1:23 2/5, and continued to pour it on through the stretch, opening up to win by 9 3/4 lengths. Solitary (Brett Miller) came from seventh to second in the lane, with Double A Mint (David Miller) third.

"Most of them we had good last week (in the Breeders Crown), but maybe she was the one that wasn't," offered victorious trainer Ron Burke. "It was a short turnaround this week, but we had blood pulled and we knew what was wrong. We got after it and she seemed all right today. She's super-fast. She's from Sweet Lou's family, and it's become the best maternal speed family in the country. She's really a top filly. A couple things haven't gone right this year. Kissin In The Sand has turned into a monster, and that's made it for a little bit longer year than maybe we thought it would be.

"Usually I find our horses do hold up good. We train hard so our horses are fit so they're going to hold up. She's carried her weight. That's always my biggest thing is that they're going to lose weight and then they're going to thin out, but she's carried it good. Honestly I wish there was more racing for her. We'll race her in the Matron, and that's it for her, but really when they're good like this I'd like to keep going."

Youaremycandygirl is a daughter of American Ideal trained by Burke for owner W.J. Donovan. This was her 17th career victory, and she has now earned $1,365,973. The 3-5 favorite, she paid $3.40 to win.