Three-year-old pacing fillies were the featured attraction at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, Aug. 20 as they squared off in the fifth round of Indiana Sires Stakes.
Two $48,500 divisions were featured on the evening’s 14-race card.
In the first division, Cruisin Pearl cruised to a 1:51 two-length score with Sam Widger in the bike. The victory was the first stakes score for Cruisin Pearl and also a new lifetime best.
Leaving from post four, Cruisin Pearl was unhurried from the gate and settled along the rail in sixth. Always A Miracle with Ricky Macomber Jr. and GD Western Joyce with Robert Taylor were taking turns on the front through first half fractions of :26 and :54.3. By the time the field reached the three-quarters in 1:22.4, Widger had Cruisin Pearl well placed and ready to strike from second-over.
Using a :27.4 closing kick, Cruisin Pearl surged past her rivals late in the lane to get the victory. Shelly Rockwell and James Yoder grinded out a second-place finish while Uncut Gem and Joey Putnam also rallied well late for third.
Sent off as the public’s second choice, Cruisin Pearl returned $6.20 at the betting windows.
Trained by Henry Graber Jr., the daughter of Always A Virgin—Cruisin In Pink scored her fifth win from 11 starts this season. Owned by Eleven Star Stables, Cruisin Pearl pushed her lifetime purse earnings to $84,285 with the win.
In the second stakes division, Somethingbeautiful looked every bit the part of a 2-5 favourite as she used similar tactics to coast to a 1:50.4 victory.
Driven by LeWayne Miller for trainer Dylan Davis, Somethingbeautiful moved first-over and was able to track down her rivals late in the lane to get the win by nearly two lengths. The 1:50.4 clocking was a new lifetime-best for the filly. Like It Like That and Darrell Wright staged a big rally late in the lane to get up for second while Gd Rockin Kay and Michael Oosting rounded out the trifecta.
As the heavy betting favourite, Somethingbeautiful returned $2.80 to her backers.
Owned by Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold, Abraham Basen, and Richard Lombardo, Somethingbeautiful recorded her 11th lifetime win from 19 outings. The daughter of Always A Virgin—Summer N Sand has now amassed $418,605 in lifetime purse earnings.
Live racing will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, Aug. 21 with a 14-race card. Saturday’s racing action will include a $22,000 Open Pace for fillies and mares. With a daily post time of 6:30 p.m., live racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park will be conducted through December 4.
(With files from Hoosier Park)