Freshman trotters battle in Indiana Sire Stakes

ANDERSON, Ind. – September 13, 2022 – Indiana Sire Stakes harness racing action returned to Harrah’s Hoosier Park with the penultimate leg of Sire Stakes for the freshman trotters on September 13. Three divisions for the two-year-old trotting colts and two for the trotting fillies highlighted the 14-race card on the evening.

The $45,500 first division for the two-year-old trotting colts and geldings in the evening’s second race kicked off the stakes action with a bang, as Talent Scout (Swan For All) played spoiler to the tune of 19-1.

Leaving from post six, driver John De Long put Talent Scout on the engine early through an opening quarter of 28:0. Talent Scout remained unchallenged on the lead through a half before Mike Oosting pressured the leader with the heavily favored Jailhouse Dance through three-quarters in 1:27:0.

Entering the stretch with his control on the lead still intact, Talent Scout and De Long powered away from his rivals to score a length and a half victory in a lifetime best 1:54:2. Jailhouse Dance held sway for second, Just Show Up and Trace Tetrick would round out the trifecta. Talent Scout returned $41.60 to his backers at the betting windows.

TALENT SCOUT REPLAY

It was the fifth victory in 13 career starts for the Doug Rideout trainee who now boasts a six-figure bankroll of $101,708 for owners Julie Rideout, Alan White and Dave Gamble. Bred by Atlantic Trot Inc. and Steve Stewart, Talent Scout is a gelding out of the Tom Ridge mare, Prettysydney Ridge.

The $46,000 second division would prove to be more formful as John De Long would this time team up with race favorite Texsong Soprano (Text Me) to score the victory.

Floating away from post three off the wings of the gate, Texsong Soprano would get away fourth in the field of eight as Tony Hall guided longshot Ahadi As to the front through an opening quarter of 29:0. Peter Wrenn and Ascent took command going to the halfway point in 59:3, leaving Texsong Soprano first over in second after following that cover to three-quarters in 1:29:2.

Texsong Soprano took control in the stretch following a miscue from Ascent at the top of the lane and refused to look back, using a 28:0 quarter to hold off a hard-charging Brookview Darius and Atlee Bender by three-quarters of a length in 1:57:3. Ahadi As and Tony Hall would hold for the third position.

TEXSONG SOPRANO REPLAY

Trained by Missy Essig, it was the fourth victory in seven lifetime starts for the colt who has yet to finish worse than second in his young career. Bred by Abraham Miller out of the Muscles Yankee mare, Muscling In, Texsong Soprano is a half-brother to the millionaire and O’Brien Award winning trotting mare, Windsong Soprano. Texsong Soprano has now earned $127,222 for owners Joe and Daryl Yoder.

In the third and final $46,000 division of stakes action for the trotting colts, it would be Full Strength (Helpisontheway) and Ricky Macomber Jr. scoring a front-end victory.

Unable to find the rail from post five, Full Strength and Macomber found themselves a parked out third as Facebook Official and Jared Finn carved out a 28:3 opening panel. Full Strength and Macomber continued their march to the front, clearing at the half in 57:3 before leading the field to three-quarters in 1:27:4.

With the support of a 28:3 final quarter in the lane, Full Strength and Macomber proved to be too strong for the field, scoring the victory in 1:56:2. Mohatu As and Tony Hall would rally for second, with Energy King and John De Long finishing third.

FULL STRENGTH REPLAY

Trained by Jamie Macomber, it was a maiden breaking victory in his fifth career start for Full Strength. Bred by Peninsula Farms Inc of Kentucky, Full Strength has banked $30,900 for owners M&M Racing and Doug Bixler.

Not to be outdone by their male counterparts, the freshman filly trotters provided fireworks and frenetic finishes in their two divisions of Sire Stakes action. In the $67,500 first division, it would be Yo Beth D (Helpisontheway) and Trevor Smith recovering from an uncharacteristic mistake in her last outing to return to her winning ways.

Leaving from post one, Trevor Smith took full advantage of the rail position, sending Yo Beth D on her way to the tune of a 27:0 opening quarter. The duo would maintain their advantage over a gapped-out group of fillies with a blistering half of 55:3. The field began to converge on the far turn as Yo Beth D led the field to three-quarters in 1:25:2 with a two-length advantage.

In the stretch, Yo Beth D faced a two-pronged attack from a hard-charging Helpoftheseason and Peter Wrenn as well as a steadily gaining Naturdays on the far outside with Matt Krueger. However, Yo Beth D and Smith would hang on to the victory by a nose at the wire over Helpoftheseason in 1:55:1. Naturdays finished third a length behind the top duo to round out a Helpisontheway sired trifecta.

YO BETH D REPLAY

The Todd Luther trained filly has been victorious in five of seven for owners Black Magic Racing LLC. Bred by John Schmucker, Yo Beth D has raked in $133,250 over the course of her freshman campaign.

Upsets would bookend the night in Sire Stakes action as Semi Formal (Swan For All) and Jimmy Whittemore would score the 14-1 shocker in the $68,000 second division.

Navigating traffic from the second tier in post 11, Semi Formal and Whittemore would land in seventh in the early going as Ohhelpmebaby and John De Long led through an opening quarter of 28:1. T’s Pride and Trace Tetrick took their turn at the lead through an opening half of 57:3, before guiding the pack of fillies to three quarters in 1:26:4.

With nine lengths to make up on the leader at the three-quarter station, Semi Formal and Whittemore launched their move in the stretch with a 28:2 final quarter on the grandstand side to track down T’s Pride and get up by a quarter of a length at the line in a lifetime best 1:57:0. Hanna Too Hanover and Tony Hall staged a strong late rally to get up for third.

SEMI FORMAL REPLAY

Trained by Jay Hochstetler and owner by Homer and Connie Hochstetler along with South Of The Tracks Racing, Semi Formal picked up her second career victory in seven career starts and has earned $51,150 in 2022. Bred by Belmar Racing & Breeding LLC, Semi Formal is a filly out of the Muscle Hill mare, Blk Thai Optional, making her a half-sister to the 2022 Hambletonian Champion, Cool Papa Bell.

Racing action continues on Wednesday at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with a 14-race card featuring the freshman pacing fillies in Indiana Sire Stakes action. There will also be a $45,000 pool in the Hoosier High Five in the Wednesday night finale featuring $11,547.69 in carryover money. For more information on the 2022 live racing season, guests are encouraged to visit here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Jacob Rheinheimer, for Harrah’s Hoosier Park