Operation Stevie, Peyton's Pass get the job done in Indiana-bred stakes

Operation Stevie and Peyton’s Pass, favorites in large fields, scored popular stakes victories on Wednesday at Indiana Grand.

Operation Stevie was able to overcome a poor draw in post 11 to win the $105,800 William Henry Harrison for older Indiana-breds over six furlongs. Ridden by East Coast-based Manny Esquivel for his uncle, trainer Cipriano Contreras, Operation Stevie was 10th of 12 with a quarter-mile to run but blasted through the homestretch to get up by a half-length over Double Tuff. Still Chief, also trained by Contreras, finished third.

Operation Stevie was timed in 1:09.70 over a fast track and paid $7.60 winning for the 10th time in 36 starts. The 6-year-old gelding is a son of Lantana Mob and Mutakkdims Revenge, by Mutakkdim.

One race later, Peyton’s Pass also won from a wide draw, though she did so by employing a much different style than Operation Stevie. Pressing the pace three paths off the fence under Eddie Perez, Peyton’s Pass made the lead on the far turn and held firm through the stretch run prevailing by 1 1/2 lengths over Expect Indy in the $106,000 Shelby County for older Indiana-bred fillies and mares. Polarizing finished three-quarters of a length farther back in third.

Trained by Robert Gorham for Mast Thoroughbreds, Peyton’s Pass ran six furlongs in 1:10.74 and paid $8 to win. The 5-year-old mare is by Pass Rush out of Colorado Song, by Pine Bluff, and ran her career mark to a fine 7-6-0 from 16 starts.