Huntstown upsets To Much Coffee Stakes, Express Run takes Frances Slocum

Favorites floundered in the two stakes races for Indiana-breds on Wednesday at Indiana Grand.

Huntstown, a 26-1 shot, won the $150,000 To Much Coffee Stakes by a half-length over Mr. Manning as 6-5 favorite Retrospection faltered through the stretch run and finished fifth.

In the $150,000 Frances Slocum, Express Run ($7.80) was 3 1/4 lengths the best while 9-5 favorite Marina’s Legacy got in a speed duel and faded to eighth. The Slocum’s 6-5 morning-line favorite, Lady Fog Horn, was an early scratch.

Huntstown ($54) finished second to Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint-bound Bucchero in the 2016 To Much Coffee and went a place better late Wednesday afternoon. Under jockey Deshawn Parker, Huntstown had three horses behind him and seven in front of him around the first turn and down the backstretch while racing well behind quick splits of 23.51 and 46.84 set by Thunder Bye. At the half-mile pole, Huntstown quickened a bit between horses and got into decent position at the back of the lead pack. Parker held his position while in fairly tight quarters around the turn, began hunting for room before the quarter pole, and found a seam between Derby Express and Mr. Manning past the three-sixteenths. Derby Express, who had the lead, briefly drifted out, but Huntstown got through his gap and ran hard to the finish to best Mr. Manning. Operation Stevie, another late runner, was up for third, three-quarters of a length behind Mr. Manning.

Huntstown was timed in 1:43.04 for 1 1/16 miles on a track rated fast and producing quick times. Trained by Wayne Mogge for Romar LLC, Huntstown is a 6-year-old gelding by Unbridled Energy and out of the Chief Seattle mare Grand Seattle. His eighth win from 38 starts was the biggest of his career.

Express Run was beaten a head Oct. 4 in the Richmond Stakes but was comfortably best Wednesday in the female-restricted Frances Slocum. As favored Marina’s Legacy and 15-1 shot Elegant Model sizzled through a quarter-mile in 22.93 seconds and a half in 45.96, Express Run and Jon Court raced midpack, outside and in the clear. The pacesetters started to come back partway around the far turn, and Express Run was among the first to pounce. She had command of the race by the furlong grounds and ran by herself to the finish, stopping the timer in 1:44.06 for the 1 1/16 miles. Whistle Stop ran fairly well to get second after tracking the pacesetters, holding off late-running Hay Little Bit by a neck.

Express Run is owned by Hillerich Racing LLC which bred her in partnership with the filly’s trainer, Bernie Flint. Express Run is by Unbridled Express and she was produced by the Mutakkdim mare Miss Carmelite. The 4-year-old filly won for the fifth time in 23 starts.