Hoosier Park: Rookies race in a trio of Indiana Sires Stakes finals

Three Indiana Sires Stakes finals for 2-year-olds, worth a total of $230,000, were the marquee races on Friday night at Hoosier Park.

Trotting fillies went after $80,000 in their race, and 1-5 favorite O So Easy (Verlin Yoder) front-stepped through fractions of 28 3/5, 58 4/5, and 1:27, and a 28 1/5 final kicker got her home a quarter of a length to the good over pocket-sitting Custom Cantab (Peter Wrenn) in a 1:55 1/5 mile. Bluebird Sunshine (Ricky Macomber Jr.) was the third-place finisher.

Yoder also trains and co-owns the victorious Swan For All filly with Eleven Star Stables. O So Easy has won nine times from 11 attempts in her freshman season, and she has now earned $220,050. She paid $2.40 to win.

Shnitzledosomethin (Wrenn) was the public choice in the $79,000 final for pacing colts, but he suffered broken equipment past the start and was pulled up and out of the race. With Shnitzledosomethin out of contention, General Dolan (Todd Warren) went to the point and hit the opening quarter in 26 2/5 and the half in 55 4/5, but Always Bet De Grey (Trace Tetrick) cleared to command from first-over just beyond the half.

Always Bet De Grey would be challenged by a first-up Rockinbeach (Macomber Jr.) to the 1:23 three-quarters and through the lane, but Always Bet De Grey held him off and then paced away late, winning by three lengths in 1:51 2/5, a career-best clocking. Rockinbeach held second, with General Dolan back in third.

The winner is an Always A Virgin colt trained by Brian Brown for owner/breeder Emerald Highlands Farm. Always Bet De Grey sports a record of 3-2-1 from six efforts, and he pushed his bankroll to $67,250. The 9-5 second choice, Always Bet De Grey returned $5.80 to win.

Completing the proceedings were pacing fillies, and Voom Or Bang (John De Long) paced a new lifetime-best mile of 1:52 4/5 to win their $80,000 test at odds of 12-1. Away fourth at the 27 3/5 front quarter, De Long sent Voom Or Bang to the top prior to the 55 2/5 half. She would go on to click off three-quarters in 1:23 2/5, and then she fought off a late charge from 2-5 favorite Dee Rocks (Sam Widger) to score by half a length. Olivia Marie (Trace Tetrick) wound up third.

Voom Or Bang is a daughter of Always A Virgin trained by Roger Welch for owners William De Long and Wm. Patrick De Long. Voom Or Bang has a trio of triumphs from ten trips behind the gate, and she has put away $125,000. She paid $27.00 to win.