For the second consecutive week, the track record for three-year-old trotting fillies at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino was re-established as Churita lowered her own mark once again in Indiana Sires Stakes action on Wednesday, July 22.
With a 1:53.4 final time, Churita and Trace Tetrick captured the co-featured event of the evening, the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for three-year-old trotting fillies, in a lifetime-best effort to remain undefeated in 2015.
Churita established her previous track record of 1:54 on July 15 in Indiana Sires Stakes elimination action, breaking a 1:54.2 mark set by Lady Blitz and Verlin Yoder in 2013. Churita’s 1:53.4 victory marks the third track record that has been lowered over Hoosier Park’s seven-eighths-mile oval in 2015.
Leaving from post five in a field of nine, Churita was sent away from the gate firing to dictate first half fractions of :27.3 and :56.1. Mark O’Mara and Diamond Dagger were unable to find a spot along the rail and pressed on to the lead approaching the half.
Diamond Dagger had reached the leader’s wheel at the three-quarter clocking in 1:25.1, but began to retreat as the taxing trip had taken its toll. Even after being pressed for much of the mile, Churita continued to call the shots and looked strong on the front as the field turned for home.
Using a :28.3 final clip, Churita dug in gamely to hold off a hard-charging Hannelore Hanover and Ricky Macomber Jr. late in the lane. Golden Big Stick and Tyler Smith also rallied nicely in the homestretch, but were forced to settle for third-place honours. As the heaving betting favourite, Churita returned $2.10 to her backers.
Trained by Matt Rheinheimer, Churita has now won all seven of her seasonal outings, 15-of-17 lifetime starts, and sports a career bankroll of $412,050. The daughter of Airzoom Lindy-Stonebridge Volare was crowned Indiana’s 2014 two-year-old trotting filly of the year and is owned by Jackie Porter.
In the two-year-old trotting colt ranks, Bridge To Jesses and Ed Hensley were victorious in the other $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final on the evening. Fresh off a win in the Indiana Sires Stakes eliminations last week, Bridge To Jesses surged late in the lane to trot home a winner in 1:58. Trained by Roger Welch, Bridge To Jesses has now won three of four lifetime outings while earning $61,600.
With a carryover in excess of $1,700, Hoosier Park Racing & Casino has announced a $10,000 guaranteed Pick 4 pool for the 14-race card slated for Thursday, July 23. In partnership with the Unites States Trotting Association Strategic Wagering program and the Indiana Standardbred Association, Hoosier Park will offer this signature wager for the stakes-filled card on Thursday that is set to begin at 5:15 p.m.
Two longshot winners in Wednesday’s Pick 4 sequence at Hoosier Park sparked a carryover of $1,727.85 and will be added to the pool for Thursday.
The Pick 4, which offers a 50-cent minimum wager, begins in the third race and will continue through the sixth race. Approximate post time for the first leg of the wager, the third race, is 5:55 p.m. (est.). Free past performances for the Pick 4 races will be available on the USTA website along with expert selections and handicapping tools also available on Hoosier Park’s website.
“Hoosier Park would like to thank the Indiana Standardbred Association and the United States Trotting Association for again partnering on this $10,000 Guaranteed Pick 4, which has become such a popular wager among horse racing fans,” Hoosier Park’s Vice President and General Manager of Racing Rick Moore noted. “With the guaranteed pool, we feel that it offers significant value to the horseplayers and we’re proud to offer it for a great Thursday night card.”
The 14-race card slated for Thursday, July 23 will be highlighted by two $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals. The final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings has been slated as the second leg of the Pick 4 wager, race four on the program. Just a few races later, Homicide Hunter and driver John Delong will put their seven-race win streak on the line in race nine, the final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
(With files from Hoosier Park)