Another day, another Miller ISS sweep

ANDERSON, Ind.—July 28, 2022— After sweeping Indiana Sire Stakes action the night before with the freshman pacing fillies, harness racing trainer Erv Miller would once again prove unstoppable with the rookie pacing colts.

Two $68,000 divisions Indiana Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings highlighted the 14-race card on Thursday, July 28 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park as the Tetrick-Miller combo completed a clean sweep of the stakes action for two-year-old pacers.

J B Gram (Tellitlikeitis) kicked things off with an eye-catching performance in the first division in the evening’s tenth race. Leaving from the outside post seven, driver Trace Tetrick hustled J B Gram off the wings of the gate, striking the lead through a fast-opening panel of 26:3 outside of Art It Is and Brandon Bates.

J B Gram and Tetrick cleared to the front up the backstretch and to the halfway point in 54:3 before reaching three quarters in 1:23:3. Utilizing a 26:3 final quarter, J B Gram would fend off the two-pronged attack of Art It Is and Buzzsaw Russ and John De Long, crossing the line nearly two lengths in front in 1:50:3. Art It Is finished third and was placed second following a bobble made by Buzzsaw Russ at the line who would be placed third.

J B GRAM REPLAY

Trained by Erv Miller, it was the second win in as many starts in the young career for J B Gram. The gelding out of the Incredible Finale mare Faith Leigh has now banked $39,000 for owners Jerry, Thomas and J D Graham. Bred by Frontier Farms, the 1:50:1 mark was just one-fifth of a second off the national season’s record for two-year-olds held by Voukefalas.

The second division would prove to be a similar story with Erv Miller and Trace Tetrick teaming up once more, this time with the heavily favored Coach Stefanos (Tellitlikeitis) who looked to rebound off a miscue in leg one. Starting from the four-hole, Tetrick steered Coach Stefanos to mid pack in fifth as Why Not Now and Peter Wrenn cut out the opening quarter in 28:0.

Tetrick put Coach Stefanos into play up the backstretch, steadily working his way into fourth at the half in 57:4 before taking command at the three-quarter station in 1:27:0. In the lane, Coach Stefanos fought  off his stablemate, Frankie Frankie and Atlee Bender with a 25:3 final fraction to score the victory by a length and a half in 1:52:3. Flirtin JK and Ricky Macomber Jr. rounded out the trifecta.

COACH STEFANOS REPLAY

It was the third win in four career starts for Coach Stefanos who has now earned $49,250 for owners Kenneth Duffy, D & M Trading II LLC., and John Chris Stefanos. A gelding out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare, Watch N Be Watched was bred by Indiana’s leading breeder, Victory Hill Farms.

Racing continues on Friday, July 29 with a 14-race card at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, followed by the third annual Empire of Hope fundraiser event benefitting the Standardbred Transition Alliance on Saturday, July 30. Guests can enjoy family fun entertainment as well as host of donation opportunities with all proceeds going directly to the Standardbred Transition Alliance. For more information on the live racing season and Empire of Hope, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

For complete race results, click here.

From Harrah’s Hoosier Park