Odds-on favorites go up in flames in divisions of Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Handicap

Odds-on favorites went down to defeat in a pair of $100,000 dirt-sprint stakes for Indiana-bred 3-year-olds Wednesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Most surprising was the open division of the Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Handicap, where Goodlookinjustice set a fast pace and turned away 1-9 favorite Molly’s Town to win by one length. Three times last year Goodlookinjustice finished a well-beaten second to Molly’s Town in Indiana-bred competition. Goodlookinjustice returned to action this year with a fast win at Horseshoe Indianapolis, but Molly’s Town’s comeback victory was even faster.

Still, it was clear at the quarter pole of Wednesday’s contest that Fernando De La Cruz on Molly’s Town felt he was in trouble.

Goodlookinjustice broke sharply and took the lead, going his first half mile in a swift 44.44, with Molly’s Town stalking. But De La Cruz after that first half already was hard at work on his mount, urging Molly’s Town to get closer. Samuel Bermudez still had Goodlookinjustice on cruise control, floated Molly’s Town wide into the homestretch, then met and repelled the favorite’s challenge.

The top two were much the best, with Concentration a distant third. Goodlookinjustice clocked 1:09.66 over a fast track. Second choice in the wagering, the only runner besides Molly’s Town with single digit win odds, Goodlookinjustice paid $10.

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A Justice Farm homebred trained by Aaron West, Goodlookinjustice is by Street Boss out of With Wonder, by Flatter.

In the fillies division, it was De La Cruz who played catch me if you can with rail-drawn Lil Gin N Class - and 1-2 favorite Noneofyourbusiness could not.

Squeezed back to last just after the start, Noneofyourbusiness made steady progress along the rail down the backstretch and into the turn as Lil Gin N Class set fractions of 22.30 and 45.50. Stuck inside eventual third-place finisher Si Certo and behind Lil Gin N Class, Noneofyourbusiness lacked room turning for home, but even after getting outside and into the clear she never came close to collaring Lil Gin N Class, who stretched her lead from three lengths at the stretch call to four lengths at the finish.

Lil Gin N Class, coming off an Indiana-bred maiden win, paid $17.20 and was timed in 1:10.64. By Coal Front out of Ginny’s Classic, by Sky Classic, the filly is trained by Tim Eggleston for owners Matt Kwiatkowski and Jason Kaylor.

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