Hoosier Park: Bridge To Jesse's grabs another Indiana Sires Stakes title

Bridge To Jesse's, who won the Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final as a 2-year-old and the Indiana Sires Stakes aged stallion and gelding trot last year as a 4-year-old, repeated in that $50,000 event again this year on Friday night at Hoosier Park.

Driven by John De Long, Bridge To Jesse's landed fifth from post eight and ended up with a second-over trip off panels of 27 3/5, 56 4/5, and 1:26 4/5. In the lane Bluebird Reverend (Sam Widger) struck the front from first-up, but he lugged out badly, leaving Bridge To Jesse's ample room to rally to his inside. Bridge To Jesse's took control, then drew off, winning by four lengths in 1:54 3/5. Bluebird Reverend did end up second, with Milford's Z Tam (Todd Warren) third.

It was the 34th career win for Bridge To Jesse's, a 5-year-old Jailhouse Jesse gelding trained by Roger Welch, who also co-owns him with William De Long, William P. De Long, and Ray De Long. He paid $6.40 to win as the 2-1 second choice.

Multi-time Indiana champion Churita (Trace Tetrick) was also looking to defend her crown in the $70,000 Indiana Sires Stakes contest for aged trotting mares, but after putting up fractions of 26 4/5, 56 3/5, and 1:26 2/5, she couldn't hold off the first-up advance from Compelling (Verlin Yoder), as she would take control in the lane and win by half a length in 1:54 2/5. Diamond Dagger (Ricky Macomber Jr.) got third.

Yoder also owns and trains Compelling, a 4-year-old Swan For All mare. She is now a ten-time winner, and she returned $4.80 to win as the 7-5 second choice.

Tetrick did pick up a 1:51 1/5 win with Tookadiveoffdipper in the $50,000 Indiana Sires Stakes aged stallion and gelding pace. He led to the 27-second first quarter, yielded to Vague Traces (Casey Leonard) passing the 55 1/5 half, angled into a second-over position behind Uncmprmising Z Tam (Brett Miller) going to the 1:22 4/5 three-quarters, then came on to get the lead and the win in the stretch. Ideal Ace (Stephen White) was the runner-up, a length back, and Beckhams Z Tam (Macomber Jr.) got third.

Virgil Morgan Jr. trains the victorious 4-year-old gelding by Always A Virgin for owners Jane Cross, Mark Cross, James Hepp, and Mike Brink. This was Tookadiveoffdipper's 21st lifetime win, and he paid $10.80 to win as the 4-1 third choice.

Always Giggling (B. Miller) never saw the pylons and was stuck behind a gapper in a third-over position on the final bend, but she overcame both of those things with a big stretch kick that propelled her to a 1:52 2/5 score in the $70,000 Indiana Sires Stakes event for aged pacing mares. E R Hilary (Don Eash) rallied for second at 86-1 and Juslikeaqueen (Widger) took third.

A 4-year-old by Always A Virgin, Always Giggling is trained by Nick Surick for owners Cornerstone Stock Farm, Phil Wiley, and J L Benson Stables Inc. Always Giggling made her 11th appearance in the winner's circle, and she returned $7.60 to win as the 5-2 second choice.