Quest for Governor’s Cup rolls into Portland

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (July 12, 2022) – A 19-race harness racing card highlights round eight in the Indiana fair circuit’s “Quest for the Governor’s Cup,” scheduled for Wednesday, July 13. The Jay County Fair in Portland, Ind. serves as host for this week’s action, with a first post of 3 p.m. The fair is celebrating 150 years in 2022, with harness racing a longstanding tradition at Portland.

A group of 105 trotters and pacers entered for Wednesday’s card, with 11 $3,500 divisions set for trotters and 8 events for pacers. Several divisional leaders have drawn into contests together and will square off with valuable points up for grabs. In the second race, an event for freshman filly trotters, the Doug Rideout-trained pair of If Not For You (You Know You Do) and Cash In The Bank (Dover Dan) will face Tucky Girl (Pinetucky). If Not For You enters the race off a victory Saturday at Kendallville that pushed her to the top of the standings. Cash In The Bank ranks second, with Tucky Girl, a winner in four of five starts, a close third in points.

Five of the six two-year-old pacing fillies lining up behind the gate in the day’s fourth race have tasted victory this season. Rideout sends out Here We Go BB (Tellitlikeitis) from post three, victorious in four of five attempts. To her outside in post five is Kruisin Kristen (Tellitlikeitis), also a winner in four of five starts for trainer and owner Alvin Miller. The two freshmen rank second and third in points. Virgins Big Money (Always A Virgin), a three-time winner for trainer Mervin Schmucker, starts from the second tier in post seven.

Freshman pacing colt M-M’s Tony (Tellitlikeitis), currently third in the standings, will attempt to earn his fourth win of the campaign. Trained by Miller, he has hit the board in each of his five starts this season. He is joined in race six by Mercy Rock (Rockin Image), a colt that finished second by a head his last time out at Kendallville. Divisional leader Little Joe Iv (Always A Virgin) headlines the seventh race. Trained by Terry Haimes, the freshman starts from post three, joined by fellow winners Starlit Rockstar (Rockin Image), Goosebumpsthefrog (Luck Be Withyou) and Chucksfourtybucs (Our Lucky Chip).

All four sophomore point leaders will be in action Wednesday. Vel Larry (He’s Gorgeous), three-year-old colt pace leader, has drawn post two in race 17. He will face fellow two-time winners Luckychris (Luck Be Withyou, post three) and Virgins Beach Boy (Always A Virgin), currently second in the standings (post five). Babe’s Darla (Straight Shooting), a four-time fair winner, starts from the outside in race 11. She is joined by Lady Angel (Jk Endofanera), Vel Goodgollymolly (Hypnotic Blue Chip) and Mystical Image (Always A Virgin), also victorious on the circuit.

Lonestar Fashion (Crescent Fashion) looks to add his sixth triumph of the season in the day’s final event. The three-year-old trotting colt starts from post two. To his outside is Converse track record holder Summit City Sonny (Dover Dan). Six-time winner Crescent Beauty (Crescent Fashion) will line up in the second tier in race 14, a contest for sophomore trotting fillies. The filly has a commanding lead in the standings with 332 points, 76 ahead of the nearest competition.

Rideout’s 38 driving wins to date place him well ahead of Jordan Ross (27), who closed the gap slightly with four scores last week at Kendallville. Michael Detweiler also had a big day at Kendallville, guiding four winners to move into third in the standings with 13 trips to the winner’s circle. Rideout sent out six winners combined at Kentland and Kendallville Saturday to raise his seasonal training tally to 43. Mervin Schmucker’s triple at Kendallville moved his total to 18 wins, while Leander Schwartz sent out four winners and took sole possession of third with 12 victories on the season.

Listed below are the top eight point earners in each division, including ties, through seven rounds of the Quest. Points are tabulated by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. Horses earn a point for each start made on the fair circuit, with race winners awarded 50 points. A second-place finish merits 25 points, a third-place effort yields 12 points, eight points are awarded for fourth place and five points for fifth place. The top eight point earners in each division that have also made the prerequisite seven fair starts will compete in the $25,000 Governor’s Cup Championships to be held August 11 at the Indiana State Fair. All horses that have made seven or more starts are designated below with an asterisk.

Two-Year-Old Filly Pace

Check In Process 239; Kruisin Kristen 230; Here We Go BB 217; Go Go Jackie Jo* 199; Virgins Big Money 191; Live Your Life 180; Tell Me Lies* 177; Swartz Bros Elen 163

Two-Year-Old Colt Pace

Lil Joe Iv* 231; Isitlikeittell* 202; M-M’s Tony 192; Master Splinter 179; Vel Big Bruiser 155; Vel Dwayne 138; Mercy Rock 131; Little Fighter 118

Two-Year-Old Filly Trot

If Not For You 239; Cash In The Bank 218; Tucky Girl 210; Edge Of Rejoicing* 161; Unforgettable* 160; Youknowyoudid, Sure Do 154; Swartz Bros Donna 129

Two-Year-Old Colt Trot

Mr Knowitall 255; Help Dust* 244; Prince Henry 236; Reckless Reviver 179; Starlit Swan Song 147; A Majorsmackin, Closed Deal 129; Haven Lane Milan* 105

Three-Year-Old Filly Pace

Babe’s Darla 217; Velstraightdreamer* 163; Al Perfection 147; Zig Zag Zoom 143; Vel Goodgollymolly* 135; Mystical Image 112; Running On Faith 74; Swartz Bros Jane 70

Three-Year-Old Colt Pace

Vel Larry 172; Virgins Beach Boy 167; Vel Bitter Chip* 157; Vel Wemiss U Dean 117; Riggins Revenge 116; Always-A-Laser 102; Luckychris 77; Family Four Ever 56

Three-Year-Old Filly Trot

Crescent Beauty* 332; Walk With Me 256; Fashion’s Way 205; Swan’s Lady 97; Double A Samantha 78; First N Line 75; ABC Tucky 65; Tabsladyone 61

Three-Year-Old Colt Trot

Lonestar Fashion* 269; Hand Dover Dan 256; Molly’s Jail 138;  Swartz Bros Sam 117; Summit City Sonny 112; Vel Jail Bondsman 84; Muscle Dan 77; Fly Like A Plane 54

Racing fans are encouraged to follow along and participate this season using #Quest4GovCup on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Quest for the Governor’s Cup Locations and Dates

Complete – Round 1: Converse, Ind. – June 1 & 2

Complete – Round 2: Converse, Ind. – June 8 & 9

Complete – Round 3: Corydon, Ind. – June 16 & 17

Complete – Round 4: Converse, Ind. – June 21 & 22

Complete – Round 5: Frankfort, Ind. – June 27 & 28

Complete – Round 6: Frankfort, Ind. – July 4 & 5

Complete – Round 7: Kendallville, Ind. and Kentland, Ind. – July 9

Round 8: Portland, Ind. – July 13

Round 9: Shelbyville, Ind. – July 18 & 19

Round 10: Goshen, Ind. – July 23, 25 & 26

Round 11: Connersville, Ind. – August 1 & 2

Round 12: Portland, Ind. – August 6

Governor’s Cup Championships: Indianapolis, Ind. – August 11

Indiana fair races will be available via livestream this season through a partnership between the Indiana Standardbred Association and Indiana Standardbred Breed Development. Fans can watch fair racing by visiting the ISA website, indianaharness.com, on race days. Races will be archived on the website.

For complete race entries, click here.

From the USHWA Indiana Chapter