Hoosier Park: Trace Tetrick guides Fiftydallarbill, Always A Prince to Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final triumphs

Driver Trace Tetrick doubled up in the $220,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Finals for sophomores on Friday night at Hoosier Park, delivering with Fiftydallarbill in the colt and gelding trot and Always A Prince in the male pace.

It looked like a match-race between Katkin American (James Yoder) and Fiftydallarbill in the 3-year-old male trot on paper, and it ended up that way on the track as Katkin American took the lead away from Fiftydallarbill passing the 27 4/5 opening quarter. Katkin American would go on to lead through comfortable middle-half stations of 57 2/5 and 1:27 2/5, but Tetrick tipped Fiftydallarbill back out for the drive, and he forged his way by, taking the victory by a length in 1:54 2/5. Got The Groove (John De Long) finished third.

"Once I got out and had clear sailing I thought he'd go right on by," offered Tetrick. "He always tries real hard and likes his work. You can't knock him."

Last year's Breeders Crown champion, Fiftydallarbill is a Swan For All colt trained by Bill Crone for owner John Barnard. Fiftydallarbill made his 15th appearance in the winner's circle, and he now has earnings of $829,948. He paid $3.40 to win as the 3-5 favorite.

Always A Prince and Tetrick started from a trailing post ten in the colt and gelding pace, and he would get away in the fourth spot as Shnitzledosomethin (David Miller) led to the 27 1/5 first quarter. Tetrick made his move in the backstretch, pulling and brushing to the point passing the 56 1/5 half, and after a 1:23 2/5 three-quarters, Always A Prince came home in 28 seconds flat to win in 1:51 2/5. Shnitzledosomethin held second, 2 1/4 lengths back, and Just N Ace (Yannick Gingras) was third.

"We didn't know about post position ten, but it was better than the eight or the nine, for sure," stated Always A Prince's trainer Tyler George. "I think the best ones that had a shot at him were Shnitzledosomethin and Rockinbeach, so at that point (the far turn) we were good I thought."

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 17-1-0 from 20 attempts this year, and he has banked $389,500. Sent off at 2-5, Always A Prince returned $2.80 to win.

The filly winners were It's Time For Fun (pace) and Custom Cantab (trot).

It's Time For Fun (Kyle Wilfong), an 11-1 shot, sat in the three-hole to the 27 4/5 opening quarter and 56 3/5 half, angled out into a third-over position on the final turn and to the 1:25 three-quarters, then fanned to the far outside in the lane and came on to win by a length in 1:54. Voom Or Bang (De Long) was up for second, and Always Woggy (D. Miller), who cleared to the lead from first-up off the last turn, faded to third.

"We added Lasix and trained her a little bit a few days ago on it," said Brett Wilfong, who trains It's Time For Fun for his father Lynn. "This mare really isn't a front-end mare. She loves to close that last 100 yards. Kyle and I have re-drove this race five times in the barn today. I told Kyle, 'you know what? Let's shoot for fifth, and if we win, good."

It's Time For Fun is a daughter of Skydancer Hanover. This was her eighth lifetime win, and she has now put away $218,145. She paid $24.40 to win.

Custom Cantab (Peter Wrenn), who was second to Manchego in the Moni Maker against open company at Hoosier on September 21, was in the lead at the 27-second first quarter on this night, but then she let a parked-out Southerntucky (Ricky Macomber Jr.) clear nearing the 56 2/5 half. Custom Cantab, the 2-5 choice, came back to the outside in the far turn, took the lead again before the 1:26 1/5 three-quarters, then kept going in the lane, defeating a surging Black Mamba As (Todd Warren) by a quarter of a length in 1:55 1/5. Red Rose Swan (Lewayne Miller) got third.

"I didn't feel real confident. She's been really quiet the last few weeks, and I didn't know why," remarked winning trainer Chris Beaver. "I think I've still got a little bit to figure out on her, but she's so tough I guess it doesn't matter."

Beaver also co-owns Custom Cantab, a daughter of Mr. Cantab, with partners Donald Robinson and Rbh Ventures Inc. This was her 12th career victory, and she has now pocketed $56,5036. She returned $2.80 to win.