Indiana Downs: Harbor Cat among statebreds seeking stakes scores Wednesday

When you put up $470,000 in purse money for four Indiana-bred stakes races, they will come. Statebreds take center stage at Indiana Downs on Wednesday evening, and each of the four restricted stakes drew 12 horses along with several also-eligibles.

Harbor Cat will try to remain perfect this year in her third start of the season in the $150,000 Indiana First Lady for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Mike Lauer, Harbor Cat won her first race of the year June 5 in a statebred allowance event for older females by 7 1/2 lengths going six furlongs. In her most recent start June 26, Harbor Cat won the Ellen’s Lucky Star on a sloppy track going one mile and 70 yards, the same distance as the Indiana First Lady.

Those two efforts were her only attempts locally, so she remains perfect over the Indiana Downs surface. Jon Court retains the mount. Harbor Cat will be coupled in the wagering with Dingalingaling, as both are owned by Penny Lauer.

Higher Logic, trained by Antonio Duran, will attempt to remain unbeaten while making her 2013 debut in the Indiana First Lady. Last season, she won her maiden by 14 lengths in September, then won the Indiana Stallion and Miss Indiana stakes in October. All three victories were at Hoosier Park.

Higher Logic signaled her readiness with a bullet work locally last Friday. Corey Lanerie will ride her for the first time.

Dread the Pirate in Governor’s Stakes

Dread the Pirate will look for his first win of the year in the $150,000 Governor’s Stakes for 3-year-olds. Last season, Dread the Pirate went 3 for 4, including wins in the Crown Ambassador Stakes and the Indiana Futurity. Trained by Dave Paulus, Dread the Pirate’s best finish in three local starts this year was a third in the William Henry Harrison Stakes on June 5.

Marlon St. Julien, aboard for all three of the horse’s wins in 2012, will ride.

Seal Beach also will aim for his first win of the year in the Governor’s. Trained by Tim Glyshaw, Seal Beach most recently finished second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the local Snack Stakes on June 26. That event was at the same distance of one mile and 70 yards as the Governor’s. Leandro Goncalves retains the mount.

Aint She a Saint goes in Henderson

Aint She a Saint will try to remain unbeaten on the Indiana Downs turf course in the $85,000 Florence Henderson for older fillies and mares.

Trained by Jeff Greenhill, Aint She a Saint won the Ellen’s Lucky Star last season going a mile over the turf course. The filly, now 4, also won the Richmond Stakes and the $230,000 Frances Slocum Stakes last year. Though both of those races were on the main track, they were at the same 1 1/16-mile distance as the Florence Henderson.

In her only start this year, Aint She a Saint finished sixth in the local Shelby County Stakes on June 5. Malcolm Franklin retains the mount.

Julie Darlin will look for her third straight victory in the Florence Henderson and her first on turf. She won a claiming event at Arlington Park on June 8 going 6 1/2 furlongs. In her most recent start June 26, she took a $16,000 claiming race going a mile.

Trained by Manny Perez, Julie Darlin is 0 for 3 on turf, all at Arlington Park. Eddie Perez will ride.

Northern Candyride seeks repeat in Foyt

Northern Candyride won the A.J. Foyt Stakes last season, and trainer Richard Kohnhorst hopes he can repeat that effort Wednesday in the $85,000 A.J. Foyt for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

The 6-year-old gelding has been out twice this year, including a second-place finish, beaten a nose, May 8 in an open optional claimer going a mile on turf. In his most recent start June 18, Northern Candyride finshed fourth in a local statebred allowance race.

Rodney Prescott retains the mount.