Unreachable Star out for repeat in Grissom

Unreachable Star will attempt to win his third Indiana-bred stakes of 2009 when he heads a field of 11 Indiana-bred and -sired horses in the $70,000 Gus Grissom at Hoosier Park on Sunday, a race he won last year.

Trained by Tim Glyshaw, Unreachable Star has won 3 of his 5 races this year. In his first out May 30, the 5-year-old won the six-furlong William Henry Harrison at Indiana Downs by two lengths. Glyshaw then chose to run his charge on the Indiana Downs turf course, and he responded with a half-length win in a statebred allowance event. In his next out, on July 7 at Indiana Downs, Unreachable Star ran second in the A.J. Foyt, this time going 1 1/16 miles on the turf course, the same distance as the Gus Grissom, although it will be run on the main track.

In his last out, on Aug. 30, Unreachable Star won the six-furlong Brickyard locally and established a new lifetime-high Beyer Speed Figure of 83. His off-the-pace style should suit him well in a speed-laden field. Orlando Mojica will ride.

Father John, trained by Mike Nance, finished second to Unreachable Star in the Brickyard here Aug. 30 when he was sent off as part of the favored entry. Although mainly a sprinter, Father John has been stretched out successfully before and has won 1 of 3 at the 1 1/16-mile distance. The 5-year-old also has an affinity for Hoosier Park, with a 7-3-0 record from 13 starts locally.