Mr. Wireless gets first stakes win in Indiana Derby

Mr. Wireless routed the opposition Wednesday in the Indiana Derby.

After sending out all the right signals in his three route races, Mr. Wireless connected in the Grade 3, $300,000 Indiana Derby, winning his first stakes race while coming home 3 3/4 lengths better than longshot Sermononthemount.

Odds-on favorite Fulsome finished third in a curious performance, settling in last, making a very sharp move to come into contention entering the far turn, but failing to sustain his run, coming on mildly late to earn the show over second choice Starrininmydreams. Mr. Wireless was a very fair-priced 7-2 and paid $9.80 to win.

By Dialed In out of Voissoir, by Arch, Mr. Wireless was described by trainer Bret Calhoun as “fat and lazy” during the earliest phase of his career. Mr. Wireless was gelded early but still declined to put much into his training, leading Calhoun to wonder if he could even get the horse to the races.

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His sprint debut March 4 at Fair Grounds revealed only modest ability, but Calhoun was convinced Mr. Wireless would prefer route racing, and the gelding won his second start, a two-turn Oaklawn race, by a narrow margin over recent Iowa Derby winner Stilletto Boy. Mr. Wireless had a challenging trip finishing second in the Texas Derby, his stakes debut, but got a sweet, clean stalking trip Wednesday evening under Ramon Vazquez and was much the best.

“He’s got a lot of heart, a lot of talent and fight,” said Calhoun, who trains Mr. Wireless for John Lapczenski and JIL Stable. “He was a little unlucky not to win last time, and we thought coming here would be a great spot here for him.”

Calhoun also trained 2019 Indiana Derby winner Mr Money. The local derby went with just a six-horse field after Full Charge was scratched.

Huge longshot W W Crazy set out for the early lead with Starrininmydreams also showing early foot, but Mr. Wireless took up an ideal position tracking the pacesetter through a half-mile in 48.31 seconds. Mr. Wireless brushed briefly with Starrininmydreams in upper stretch, but with Fulsome floundering he had little trouble putting the race to bed, stopping the timer in 1:42.84 for 1 1/16 miles on a fast track.

“I’m really confident in my horse. I know he’s getting better and better every race. He gave me everything he had tonight,” Vazquez said.