It was another verse of the same song, as Deal The Odds and Chandler Bing each scored their third straight victory in Indiana Sire Stakes action on Friday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park. Both of them also came up with career-best efforts in this round for sophomore pacing colts and geldings, which highlighted the 14-race card.
Deal The Odds was sent away as the 1-5 favorite from the rail with regular pilot Joey Putnam aboard in the $49,500 first division. Putnam secured the third spot on the first turn while Rockin Mudslinger (Jordan Ross) paced around Book The Fight (Marvin Luna) to cut the quarter in 26 3/5. Putnam brushed Deal The Odds to the top on the backstretch on the way to a half of 54 3/5 before pressure came to his outside from 30-1 shot Freaky Feet Beast (Kyle Wilfong), who raced at the leader's wheel first-up through three-quarters in 1:23 1/5.
After turning for home, Deal The Odds turned away Freaky Feet Beast midway through the lane, while Rockin Mudslinger aimed to take a shot at the leader from the pocket. Racing home in 26 4/5, Deal The Odds held Rockin Mudslinger at bay by 1 1/4 lengths on the wire in 1:50. Book The Fight crossed the wire in third but would be placed fourth due to a pylon infraction in the lane, moving Aye Aye Capt Russ (Marcus Miller) to the show position at 45-1.
Trained by Joe Putnam, Deal The Odds has won three of four on the year, with each of those wins coming in consecutive fashion. Bred by Silver Linden Farms, the son of Odds On Equuleus-Sono Bello has banked $78,750 on the season and just over $150,000 in his career for owners J P Racing, Michael Lee and Crazy Parrot Farm.
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In the $50,000 second division, Chandler Bing and Jay Cross teamed up for a first-over victory as the 8-5 favorite in sub-1:50 fashion. Leaving from post three, Chandler Bing got away sixth in the field of nine while The Family Man (Marcus Miller) raced to the top around Rawtn Tale (Mike Oosting) through a hot opening quarter of 26 2/5. Joey Putnam hustled Seeitsayit to the top through a wicked opening-half of 54 seconds, while Cross right-lined Chandler Bing to begin his first-over journey entering the final turn. Chandler Bing raced into second around the bend in hot pursuit of Seeitsayit to a sizzling three-quarters of 1:21 4/5.
Under confident Cross handling, Chandler Bing powered alongside Seeitsayit at the top of the stretch before rocketing clear when Cross began to ask. Pacing home in 27 2/5, Chandler Bing raced clear in the lane by 1 1/2 lengths on the wire to stop the clock in 1:49 2/5. Starlit Millertime (Atlee Bender) finished second after following the winner's cover, and Seeitsayit held for third.
Trained by Alvin Miller, the reigning Sire Stakes champion has won three of five on the season for Miller, who also co-owns with Twila Harts. An eight-time career winner in 14 lifetime tries, the gelded son of Tellitlikeitis-Northern Beauty has earned $78,375 on the season and just shy of $300,000 lifetime. Chandler Bing was bred by Glen Yoder.
Racing continues on Saturday, July 27 with a 14-race card set to get underway at 6:15 p.m. The Saturday night card features two divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies in races five and eight.
--press release (Harrah's Hoosier Park)--