As Hoosier Park prepares for a weekend filled with Breeders Crown elimination action, fans were treated to a high powered program on Thursday evening in a lead up to those rich affairs.
Sermon captured The Circle City - worth $52,000 – for three-year-old trotting colt and geldings, and he did so as a 9-1 upsetter for driver Kasper Foget and trainer Per Engblom.
After being parked every step of the mile from Post 9, the son of Muscle Hill-Letsjustalkaboutme kicked home in :27 to win by 1-3/4 lengths over Dude Included. Speed Ball Swagger was third.
It was the fourth win of the season from nine attempts for the winner of close to $86,000. He is owned by Consus Racing Stable Inc and Longbridge Trotting Inc.
Fortify captured his divisions of The Circle City for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers in a sparkling time of 1:47.3 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Nancy Takter.
The son of Sweet Lou-Cant Stop Me Now, who was sent off as the 6-5 favourite, was fifth and parked past the quarter pole before finding the lead while racing parked at the mid-way point in :53.4. He cleared to the top and proceeded to wheel the field past the three-quarter pole in 1:21.2 before storming home in :26.1 to win by 3-3/4 lengths over Clever Character in 1:47.3. Alwaystellthetruth was third.
The win was his third of the season and the lion’s share of the purse pushed his overall cash stash past $207,000 for owner/breeder Diamond Creek Racing of Wellsville, PA.
Sawyers Desire took the other division for the three-year-old colt and gelding pacers in 1:49 for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Ron Burke.
The pacer rallied home in :27 to win by 2-1/4 lengths over Always And Again, with the show dough being earned by race favourite Splash Brother.
The son of Real Desire-Aint That Funny pushed his lifetime earnings over $230,000 with the win for the partnership of Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and David Wills. It was his fourth win of the year and the sixth of his career.
Mystical Carrie was a down-the-road winner in 1:48.4 in the first division of the stake for three-year-old pacing fillies.
Trace Tetrick whacked out fractions of :26.4, :54.4 and 1:22 with the Erv Miller trainee before using a :26.4 final frame to win by three-quarters of a length over Mcmarkle Sparkle. Penpaperpaige rounded out the top three finishers.
Sent off as the 1-2 favourite, the daughter of Tellitlikeitis-Mystical Victress won for the fifth time this season – and for the ninth time in her career – for owner/breeder Mystical Marker Farms LLC of Valparaiso, IN.
Genie Rockwell took the other division for three-year-old pacing fillies in 1:50.4 for trainer/driver James Yoder.
He rolled the daughter of Always A Virgin-Norma Rockwell through fractions of :26.3, :55 and 1:22.4 before scooting home in :28 to win by a neck over Keystone Eureka. Gai Waterhouse was third.
It was the fifth win of the season for the winner of more than $165,000. She is owned by Martin Fry of Alexandria, IN.
Shishito took the first of two divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies in a time of 1:52.2 for the duo of driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Nancy Takter.
The trotting lass carved out fractions of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:25.2 before roaring home in :27 to win by a length over race favourite Guinevere Hall. Champagne On Ice rounded out the Trifecta ticket.
It was just the second win of the season for the filly who is owned by Black Horse Racing and John Fielding. The win pushed her lifetime earnings just over $300,000.
Sweet Shirley Mae gave trainer Nancy Takter the sweep of the three-year-old filly trot divisions thanks to her 1:52.4 triumph in the second split.
Dexter Dunn moved her to the top shortly past the quarter pole, and once she cleared she led the group through fractions of :55.4 and 1:24.3. A :28.1 final frame sealed the deal for the trotting lass who won by a length over Kikimora. Delovely Hall was third.
Sent off as the 1-5 choice, the homebred daughter of Muscle Hill-Moms Millionaire won for the second time this season – and for the fourth time in her career – for owner/breeder Moni Market Breeders of Briarcliff Manor, NY.