The Hoosier state’s top three-year-old pacing colts and geldings were on display at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, July 5 as two $51,000 divisions of Indiana Sires Stakes were featured on the evening’s 14-race card.
As predicted, the sophomore pacing colts were impressive in their round of the Indiana Sires Stakes.
Rockie Got Framed and Ricky Macomber Jr. prevailed in a tight three-horse photo to capture the opening division in 1:49.4. Rockie Got Framed established a new lifetime mark and recorded his second straight Hoosier Park victory.
Macomber Jr. switched up his tactics and sent Rockie Got Framed away from the gate firing to grab the lead through the opening panel in :26.3. Tellmeaboutit and LeWayne Miller grabbed a pocket seat but wouldn’t sit long and took command just before the half in a snappy :54.3.
Tellmeaboutit led the field through the three-quarters in 1:23.1, but Ima Real Ladys Man and Mike Oosting were applying pressure first-over turning for home. Tellmeaboutit was able to put away Ima Real Ladys Man but Rockie Got Framed was looming large in the pocket. Employing a :26.1 final quarter, Rockie Got Framed was able to put a nose in front of Tellmeaboutit and hold off a late charge from Jagger Rocks and Sam Widger.
Slightly dismissed at odds of 6-1, Rockie Got Framed returned $15.20 to his backers at the betting windows.
“I always leave the trip up to Ricky,” trainer Jamie Macomber noted after the win. “We’ve been trying to teach this horse how to race. We’ve always known he’s had the speed but we’ve just had to teach him how to manage it. Tonight we graduated him to ear plugs rather than a full hood. He’s figuring it out, putting it all together and getting better with every start.”
Owned in partnership by Rocco Ruffolo and Eleven Star Stables, Rockie Got Framed recorded his fifth win from 12 seasonal starts. The gelded son of Rockin Image-Carousel Frame has now won five of 22 starts and sports a lifetime bankroll of $87,106.
In the second division, Little Rocket Man and Trace Tetrick delivered as the heavy favourites to score in 1:50.1. Working out a perfect, second-over trip, Little Rocket Man powered home in :27.1 to get the win by nearly a length.
Leaving from post six, Little Rocket Man was unhurried from the gate and settled along the rail in sixth. Lying in Cash and Brandon Bates were the first to get a call through the opening panel in :25.4, but Sam Widger had Pure Rock out and firing.
Pure Rock led the field through middle splits of :53.2 and 1:22.2 before being joined on the outside by Egomania and John DeLong with Little Rocket Man in tow. The quick pace began to take its toll on the leader and Little Rocket Man was winding up. Tetrick tipped Little Rocket Man off cover and he powered home to get the win over Egomania. Boysrockthefarm and Ricky Macomber Jr. rallied well late in the lane to get up for third place honours.
As the post time favourite, Little Rocket Man returned $4.80 at the betting windows.
“The trip couldn’t have worked out any better,” Tetrick noted after the victory. “They’ve done a great job maintaining him and teaching him how to race. He’s very versatile, has great manners—everything you want to see.”
Trained by Missy Essig, Little Rocket Man recorded his eighth win from 10 seasonal starts. Unraced at two, the son of Rockin Image-Gt Miss Royal has now amassed $75,380 for owners Russell Beeman and Jack Freeman.
(With files from Hoosier Park)