A trio of Indiana Sire Stakes divisions headlined the Wednesday (July 30) card at Harrah's Hoosier Park with a pair of $66,000 divisions of leg two for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings and a lone $96,000 division of the fifth leg for 3-year-old trotting fillies featured on the 14-race card.
The rookie pacing males kicked off the stakes festivities, with What Nooo Waaay delivering a 6-1 upset with John De Long in the bike. Leaving from post two, De Long guided What Nooo Waaay into the pocket while Trace Tetrick hustled 2-5 favorite Mystical Rock It to the lead through a quarter of 27 3/5. The field of six moved single-file to the half in 57 seconds before Tetrick began to get Mystical Rock It wound up at three-quarters in 1:26 with What Nooo Waaay in hot pursuit. What Nooo Waaay quickly powered alongside the leader before edging by with a 26 2/5 final quarter to win by a half-length in 1:52 3/5 over Mystical Rock It. Fire Inside (Kyle Wilfong) rallied home in 26 seconds to finish third, two lengths back.
Trained by Ron Burke, the winning homebred son of Check Six-Tiffany Rocks As has banked $69,800 while winning two of four for owners Burke Racing Stable, William Switala, James Martin and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
The second division featured a trio of unbeaten colts who went one-two-three, with Royal Richie Doyle getting the best of it after leading every step of the way. Driver Trace Tetrick hustled Royal Richie Doyle out from post five, quickly grabbing command through a quarter of 27 2/5 with 1-9 favorite Dancingdreamer (Aaron Stutzman) on his back. The order remained unchanged to the half in 56 4/5 before Dancingdreamer began to make his move to the outside at three-quarters in 1:25 1/5. Royal Richie Doyle quickly responded to the threat to his outside, sprinting away with a 25 4/5 final quarter to get the better of Dancingdreamer by 2 1/2 lengths on the wire in a career-best 1:51. Swiss Lights (Ricky Macomber Jr) got up for the how spot, 5 1/4 lengths behind the winner.
Trained by Tyler George, Royal Richie Doyle is now three-for-three with earnings of $45,000 for owners John and Robert Esposito, who also bred the gelded son of JK Endofanera-Townes Party Girl.
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In the sophomore filly trot, Fifty To Win extended her win streak to three on the year and handled the step back up to the top level with ease as the 7-5 favorite. The red-hot Marcus Miller floated Fifty To Win out into third off the wings while Better Tak'em (Jordan Ross) trotted around Ponda Fashion (Kyle Wilfong) to reach the quarter first in 27 1/5. Miracle Maven (John De Long) brushed from fourth on the backstretch to move alongside her Henry Graber Jr. stablemate at the half in 56 3/5. Miracle Maven cleared moving into the far turn when Miller tipped Fifty To Win off the cones first-over at three-quarters in 1:25 4/5.
Fifty To Win went at Miracle Maven at the top of the stretch, and Miracle Maven drifted off the cones, allowing Better Tak'em an avenue up the cones. Better Tak'em rallied into second but would come up 1 1/4 lengths short of Fifty To Win, who trotted in a career-best 1:54. Miracle Maven held for third, with Swan Jewel (Atlee Bender) rallying for fourth at 42-1.
After breaking her maiden at the start of this win streak, Fifty To Win has been a perfect three-for-three since moving to the Erv Miller barn. A winner in three of six on the year, the daughter of Fiftydallarbill-Be Winnin has banked $63,500 on the season and went over $125,000 in lifetime earnings for owners Doug Overhiser, Macomber Racing and M&M Racing.
Racing continues at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Thursday (July 31) with a 14-race card that includes a pair of divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes for both the three-year-old pacing and trotting colts and geldings. On To Norway looks to extend his win streak to 11 in the Thursday opener for trotting males, while Rock Shines Again looks to remain unbeaten through eight starts on the year in the eighth for pacing males.
First post on Thursday is 5:30 p.m. (EDT), and features $10,000 guarantees on both the late Pick 4 (races 11-14) and late Hoosier High 5 (race 14) done in partnership with the USTA's Strategic Wagering Alliance.
--press release (Harrah's Hoosier Park)--