Second NA winner in a week for Pastor Stephen

Juvenile trotter Pastors Cash (Pastor Stephen) made the step up from the Fairgrounds of Converse to the bright lights of Hoosier Park last Friday night (June 21) and wired the field to remain unbeaten in his harness racing career to date.

The gelding who is from the first crop of the 2010 Dan Patch winner was making his first start for his new trainer, Walter Haynes having previously been in the care of Robert Wyman.

Jay Cross retained the drive aboard the debut winner and from post five set about making every post a winner, leading the two-year-old trotters through a first half of 1:01.4.

The pair increased the tempo going down the back stretch and opened up a three length margin which remained unchanged at the finish, with a 28.3 last quarter proving too much for the opposition to overcome.

PASTORS CASH REPLAY

Pastors Cash was a $17,500 purchase back in 2023 at the Hoosier Classic sale when consigned by Dean Miller. His 2:00.3 mile rate last Friday night knocked more then 10 seconds off his debut effort and the manner in which he won suggested there was plenty in reserve for future assignments.

Pastor Stephen is by one of North America’s leading sires in Cantab Hall, the sire of winners of just under $100M in North America. Pastor Stephen is from the broodmare Gala Dream, who is a half-sister to world champion trotter Chocolatier 1.53 ($1.3M).

Pastor Stephen’s pedigree is loaded up with two-year-old speed, aside from his own record;

• Father Patrick – Dan Patch Two and Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year
• Cantab Hall – Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year
• Chocolatier – Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year

Pastor Stephen, the 2010 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year and a winner of more than $1M as a two and three-year-old, was exported to Europe after his brilliant race career ended in his three-year-old season upon suffering a broken coffin bone.

Pastor Stephen has been very successful in the breeding shed all across Europe with a more than a 70 per cent rate of his foals making it to the races.

Many good judges felt that his success in Europe would be enhanced in North America where a greater onus is on the racing of juvenile stock, something Pastor Stephen and his family did so brilliantly in their own careers.

With five starters from 28 eligible to race, he has made a good fist to the start of his siring career stateside and boasts a 1:59.2 qualifying winner in the Roger Welch trained gelding Mr Instigator, and another 2:00.3 Hoosier Park winner in the James Yoder trained filly, GV Miss Stephen.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink