Rain threatens two turf stakes at Indiana Grand

Really, it only feels like Indiana Grand racecourse sits in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

Rain, rain, and more rain has been the story of the last several weeks of racing at Indiana Grand. Ten race cards have passed since Indiana Grand, just southeast of Indianapolis, last used its turf course back on June 24, and unfortunately, the two Indiana-bred turf stakes Wednesday appear to be threatened by another washout. The Wednesday forecast itself looks great, but heavy rain Monday and Tuesday could render the grass course unusable.

The $85,000 Ellen’s Lucky Star for 3-year-old fillies comes up first as race 8 and drew just eight entrants, seven in the main body plus the main-track-only Spooled. The group is compact but competitive: on dirt, at least four horses, Heart’s Song, Comforter, Lady Fog Horn, and Spooled – and perhaps five, if one includes Tupelo Tide – have a win chance.

Tupelo Tide is the pick for turf, owing to a last-start breakthrough win going two turns on dirt, the way her form leapt forward in her lone grass start at 2, her grass-slanted pedigree, and likely long odds. On dirt, she holds less appeal. Comforter is the 7-5 morning-line favorite, but she will be trying two turns for the first time, could face pace pressure, and is unappetizing at a short price.

Lady Fog Horn seems about equal on turf and the main track, and she could get a decent setup, but the pick for dirt is Heart’s Song. Heart’s Song would be trying grass for the first time but might well handle it and looks strong on dirt. She was one of the top Indiana-bred 2-year-old fillies last year, can go two turns, and won an open, first-level allowance at Churchill last out in what probably was a prep for this start.

The $85,000 Snack, race 9, attracted an overflow field of 13 (12 in the main body, one also-eligible), but handicappers might not need to look much further than the first two horses – Son of a Nut, who drew the rail, and Academy Bay, who has post 2.

Son of a Nut has won all three of his starts and was most impressive last out, cruising to an apparently effortless seven-length victory, albeit in a heavily restricted Indiana sires stakes. The Greenhill Racing homebred by Unbridled Express has the pedigree and easygoing style to successfully manage the stretch to two turns but probably meets the best horse he’s ever faced in Academy Bay.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Academy Bay has won all three of his Indiana-bred starts while holding his own in open-company races. He has established two-turn form, and his sire, Magna Graduate, has been surprisingly effective throwing turf runners – in the unlikely event Indiana Grand actually gets to host turf racing again Wednesday.