Strong Tide looks to become highest-earning Indiana-bred in Bucchero

Strong Tide can become the highest-earning Indiana-bred ever if he validates his favoritism Wednesday in the $100,000 Bucchero Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Strong Tide comes into the 1 1/16-mile turf race for Indiana-breds with earnings of $910,639, and only one Indiana-bred – Bucchero himself – has taken home more purse money. Bucchero, now a rising stallion standing in New York, was retired with earnings of $947,936.

Strong Tide won the 2023 Bucchero by a half-length at odds of 7-10 and is at least as good this year at age 7. While he’s winless in five 2024 races, Strong Tide comes back to Horseshoe Indianapolis after second- and third-place finishes in the Grade 3 Louisville and, more recently, in a pair of Grade 2 turf contests – the Wise Dan over 1 1/16 miles at Churchill and in the 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green at Saratoga. Strong Tide got a 99 Beyer Speed Figure from the Bowling Green, about as fast as he’s ever run. Strong Tide is by English Channel, whose horses often don’t hit peak form until they’re at least 5.

“Not just that he’s by English Channel, but he’s out of a Pure Prize mare who ran into her 6-year-old year and really had no problems,” said trainer Mike Lauer, explaining Strong Tide’s strong form into his later racehorse years.

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Lauer and his wife, Penny, bred and own Strong Tide, and it would be fitting if they campaigned an all-time leading Indiana-bred. Search the Wednesday past performances from Horseshoe Indiana for “Lauer” and you will find 42 references to Michael and Penny as owners and breeders. The Lauers breed 12 to 15 mares per year. They bred Strong Tide’s dam, Dreamin Big, and raced her dam, Hush U Dreamer.

Strong Tide debuted five summers ago and was not an immediate hit, winning only once in his first 10 starts before steadily improving. His first stakes win came in the Snack, a turf race for Indiana-bred 3-year-olds in 2020, and Strong Tide has displayed remarkable versatility – his maiden win came over 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, and he once finished third in the two-mile Belmont Gold Cup on turf. Strong Tide holds two long-distance dirt track records at Oaklawn Park.

“For a colt, a horse, he’s very docile, not aggressive to people at all,” Lauer said. “I just try to stay out of his way. He’s easy to gallop, just very classy in everything he does. He’s not a hard horse to ride, doesn’t fight the jockey at all.”

Strong Tide clearly hits his peak at distances longer than 1 1/16 miles, but Lauer points out how effectively he raced over the distance in the Wise Dan in late June. Strong Tide carries 127 pounds but gives no more than six pounds to any of his rivals in a full field and less than that to most.

Among the leading challengers is 3-year-old Demolisher, who has started his career with three wins, acing his stakes debut last month in the Governor’s. Demolisher, by Dominus, has only raced on dirt, but his dam, Maggie Sue, ran her career-best Beyer on turf.

Peony Handicap

The Bucchero’s sister race, the $100,000 Peony, drew 17 older Indiana-bred fillies and mares, a dozen in the field’s main body, one main-track-only entrant, and three also-eligibles. Sand and Sea ships from Keeneland for trainer Riley Mott to make her first grass start in statebred turf competition, and she’s a major threat to wire this field under Axel Concepcion. Sand and Sea threw a clunker racing without Lasix two starts ago in the Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs but subsequently thrashed open allowance foes on the Presque Isle Downs Tapeta surface.

Lauer trains two Peony entrants, 3-year-olds Best Cupcake and Three Coats. Best Cupcake on July 6 won the Ellen’s Lucky Star, a turf mile for 3-year-old Indiana-bred fillies in which Three Coats finished fourth. On dirt three weeks later in the First Lady Handicap, Best Cupcake was seventh as Three Coats rolled to a front-running victory.

“She should be just as good on turf,” Lauer said.

But not as good – not even close, so far – as the Lauer stable star, Strong Tide, still going very strong more than halfway through his 7-year-old campaign.

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