Sabonis wins 11th straight in $75,000 Hoosier Cup

ANDERSON, Ind.—Sept. 13, 2024 – Sabonis headlined the Peter Haughton undercard at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, Sept. 13, crushing in the $75,000 Hoosier Cup Final for Indiana Sired three-year-old pacing colts for his eleventh consecutive victory.

The Hoosier Cup was featured along nine divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes with purses on the night totaling $1.275 million.

Sent off as the bettor’s choice at 1-9 from the rail, regular pilot Joey Putnam got Sabonis away in good order third early while Midnight Rocker (driven by Trace Tetrick) led to the first quarter in :27. Putnam moved Sabonis from third on the backstretch, taking command before reaching the half in :55.1. Putnam cut Sabonis loose entering the final turn, powering away by 3-1/2 lengths at three-quarters in 1:22.4.

The fast-break by Sabonis continued turning for home, racing away by 5-1/2 midway through the lane with M-M’s Bud (Pete Wrenn) and Dale Yea (Marvin Luna) racing for place. Putnam geared Sabonis down in deep stretch, relenting late to cross the wire clear by 1-1/4 lengths and stopping the clock in 1:49.3. M-M’s Bud finished second, Dale Yea was third.

SABONIS REPLAY

Trained by Aaron Stutzman, Sabonis has won 14 of 15 on the season while banking $388,250 this year alone. Owned by Pat Miller, the son of Tellitlikeitis-Gypsy Bellevue has only tasted defeat twice in his career, hitting the board in all 16 of his lifetime outings.

Along with the Hoosier Cup, the penultimate leg of Indiana Sire Stakes for rookies pacers and sophomore trotters were contested on the 14-race card.

Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies

A race after Putnam and Stutzman won with Sabonis, the duo immediately followed it up with a victory in the $68,000 first division of sire stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies. Brookview Fancy (JK Endofanera-Get Your Armor), the 2-5 favorite grabbed command early from post five, before outlasting a surging JK Pearl Stone (Wrenn) to record her fifth consecutive victory with a clocking of 1:52.2. Heart Song (Tetrick) finished third.

BROOKVIEW FANCY REPLAY

CAN’TTOUCHTHESE REPLAY

The homebred was bred by William and Patrick De Long along with Douglas Riccolo. A winner in four of six this season, Roger Welch trains the earner of $96,620.

Two-Year-Old Pacing Colts

Odds on Brahmastra (Odds On Equuleus—Mach Some Noise) was able to overcome post position eight to score his maiden breaking win when it mattered—in the fifth round of $46,500 Indiana Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:51.1.

Driven by Peter Wrenn, he took advantage of torrid first half fractions of :26, and :53,4 and utilized a :27.1 closing kick to get the win by a head over Big Al Derosa and Jordan Ross. Checking Out and Scott Zeron also rallied well late for third. Sent off at odds near 30-1, Odds On Brahmastra returned $61.20 for the win.

ODDS ON BRAHMASTRA REPLAY

Owned and bred by Odds On Racing, Odds On Brahmastra scored his first win in seven starts. The freshman colt is trained by Melanie Wrenn and pushed his lifetime bankroll to $28,180.

Chandler Bing (Tellitlikeitis—Northern Beauty) utilized similar tactics to score in the second division of the stakes action for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings in 1:50.4.

Ahva Sholum and Kyle Wilfong were responsible for the first half splits of :27.3 and :56 while Chandler Bing waited patiently off the pace. Driver Jay Cross found late racing room down the lane and Chandler Bing responded gamely with a :26 closing quick to get the win by half of a length over Avanti and driver John DeLong. The Family Man and Michael Oosting rounded out the trifecta. Chandler Bing returned $24.60 for the upset victory.

CHANDLER BING REPLAY

Trained by Alvin Miller, the two-year-old gelding scored his third win from seven starts this season. Owned in partnership by Alvin Miller and Twila Harts, Chandler Bing now sports a lifetime bankroll of $68,540 and a new lifetime mark with his 1:50.4 clocking.

Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies

A pair of $50,000 Sire Stakes divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies saw the favorites deliver in front-end fashion in each. Hail Broadway (Swan For All-Pray With Me) and Jordan Ross took command from the outset, having things her way on the lead before sprinting away from pocket-sitter Agent Of Fortune (Robert Taylor) with a :27.1 final quarter to stop the timer in 1:54.1. Somebody Special (Scott Zeron) edged out Star Pilot (Tetrick) for the third spot.

HAIL BROADWAY REPLAY

Trained by Luis Quevedo, John Barnard’s homebred filly has won six of 11 on the year while banking $188,600 and sitting just shy of $200,000 in earnings lifetime.

Robert Taylor did one better in the second division, teaming up with Danger (Swan For All-Chim Swift) to overcome post nine. Parked to the quarter in :27.4, Danger was able to back things down in the middle half before rocketing home in :27.2 to score a 3-1/4 length score in a career best 1:53.4. Skyway Paige (LeWayne Miller) finished second, Starlit Dora (Mike Oosting) finished third.

DANGER REPLAY

Taylor also trains for owners Anthony Lombardi and George Colemes. Bred by Steve Stewart and Chris Beaver, the three-year-old rookie has won seven of eight while sporting earnings of $112,521.

Three-Year-Old Trotting Colts

Dashing Danny (Dover Dan—Sashay) continued his divisional dominance in the second split of the Indiana Sire Stakes action scoring in 1:54.1 with regular pilot Kyle Wilfong in the bike.

In near gate to wire fashion, Dashing Danny reached the lead just after the quarter :28 and went on to dictate fractions of :57 and 1:26.2 before trotting away from his competition. Dashing Danny finished two lengths to the good over Flirtinwiththepilot and Peter Wrenn while Ira Who and Jared Finn completed the trifecta. Sent off as the heavy favorite, Dashing Dany returned $2.10 for the victory.

DASHING DANNY REPLAY

Trained by Jeff Cullipher, the gelding recorded his sixth win from seven seasonal starts. With the win, Dashing Danny pushed his lifetime bankroll to $344,837 for owners Pollack Racing LLC and Jeffrey Cullipher.

In the opening division of the stakes action for the sophomore trotting colts, Winslow (Swan For All—Allie Labrook) and driver, trainer Dan Shetler got up in the final strides to pull the slight upset in 1:53.3.

Cs Flying Co-Pilot and driver Trace Tetrick dictated fractions of :27.4 and :57.1 while Winslow was long the rail in fifth. Turning for home, Shetler tipped Winslow past tiring cover and he responded with a :27.1 closing kick to put a nose in front of Helpem Dance and driver Dexter Dunn. Cs Flying Co-Pilot held on for third. Winslow returned $7.40 for the victory.

WINSLOW REPLAY

The gelding recorded his fourth win from 12 starts this season. The 1:53.3 clocking was a new lifetime best for the three-year-old gelding who is owned in partnership by Dojea Stable and Dan Shetler, who is also the breeder.

Grand circuit racing action continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, Sept. 20 as part of the $200,000est Caesars Trotting Classic card. The evening will feature nine stakes races worth over $1.2 million. First post for the Caesars Trotting Classic card is 6:00 p.m.

The week of racing concludes at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Saturday, Sept. 14 with a 12-race card set to get underway at 7:00 p.m.

For more information on the 2024 live racing season, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From Harrah’s Hoosier Park