Hoosier: Trace Tetrick with plenty of horsepower heading into Indiana Super Finals

Harrah’s Hoosier Park will host Friday’s $2.4 million Indiana Sire Stakes Super Final night with $270,000 on the line in each of eight divisional championship events for 2 and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. Driver Trace Tetrick’s ability has helped him garner some of the favorites and he’s looking forward to a successful night of action.

“It’s exciting,” Tetrick said. “It’s a great card with a lot of quality horses.”

With 10 horses eligible for the finals, nine go behind the starting gate and one trails. Tetrick drew the short straw in the first of his rich final drives behind Pansy’s Image in the $270,000 event for 3-year-old pacing fillies. “I would have preferred a spot on the gate with her,” said Tetrick of the daughter of Rockin Image “She went a big trip two starts back on the front end and just got caught.” Pansy’s Image is one of four in the final for trainer Shane Bowermaster, the other three landed posts 7-9.

Tetrick has been very impressed with Rock Swan this season. The juvenile trotting filly landed post nine in search of her eighth win. “She’s been great all season long,” Tetrick said. “She just got beat a few weeks back in the Grand Circuit race and was solid last week when I moved her to the lead.” Rock Swan will need to overcome the post as well the brilliant May Baby (post 3) who has won six of her seven starts this year including a 1:53 2/5 blowout in last week’s final preliminary.

The post draw was again unkind to Tetrick and his mount Foxy Rigger in the final for juvenile pacing fillies with the Brian Brown trainee landing post nine. “I don’t think the post will bother her that much, she’s been out there before. There’s some solid fillies in that division,” Tetrick said, pointing to Priceless (post 5) and Grace Rocks. Priceless won a Grand Circuit event in 1:51 1/5 on September 20 at Hoosier and Grace Rocks (post 8) has been impressive winning six times in her eight career starts.

While T J’s Top Pick landed post eight in the final for 2-year-old trotting colts, Tetrick doesn’t think that will pose much of a problem. “Jeff’s (trainer Cullipher) done a great job with him. He went a big trip over the summer winning in 53 3/5 and he had the plugs in,” said Tetrick. By Swan For All, T J’s Top Pick has captured seven of his eight starts this year with a lone defeat coming after he made a break on September 3 at Hoosier. “He just wasn’t himself that night. It turns out he tied up,” Tetrick said.

The final for 2-year-old male pacers appears to be a solid field and Tetrick will guide Always And Again from post six. “It’s a wide-open race. There are some good horses inside, Odds On Osiris (post 3) and Burke’s two (Sawyer’s Desire, Nassau Desire) have been good,” said Tetrick. Always And Again won three of his first five starts and enters the final on a four-race losing streak but his driver thinks if he can get him into position he’ll have a chance.

Although 20-1 in the morning line, Tetrick wasn’t ready to count out Wow Lester in the final for 3-year-old male trotters. The son of Airzoom Lindy landed post six in a field that includes heavy favorite Swandre The Giant (post 3) along with the top colt It’s a Herbie (post 10). “You know he’s kind of a sleepy horse. He’s got plenty of talent, he just needs to get it right mentally,” Tetrick said.

The original name for Little Rock Man, Tetrick’s drive in the $270,000 Super Final for sophomore male pacers, was Just Like Pete. “He’s not bred like him but he’s got a lot of the same characteristics as Freaky Feet Pete,” said Tetrick. The two also have winning in common as Little Rocket Man enters Friday’s final with 11 wins this year in just 16 starts. Unraced as a 2-year-old, Melissa Essig has conditioned Little Rocket Man to multiple sub-1:50 victories this year. “There are some good horses in this race,” said Tetrick with respect for the 1:48 4/5 winner Tellmeaboutit (post 4) and the improving Shamwow (post 10). The latter paced home in 25 flat in capturing a final preliminary. “Post six is a perfect spot for him,” said Tetrick, noting that posts four through six do quite well statistically at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s 14-race Super Final night has a first post of 6:30 p.m.