$670,000 Grand Circuit Stakes at Hoosier Park

This Friday evening Harrah’s Hoosier Park is featuring four major Grand Circuit Stakes totaling $610,000 plus two $30,000 divisions of the Carl Erskine Stake. All of the stakes are for three-year-old trotters and pacers.

Normally, the spotlight would center on the $220,000 Monument Circle Pace for the colts as it goes for $100,000 more than the filly pace does, but then again there is the caliber of horse flesh in the filly race that gives it the limelight.

The $120,000 11^th race USS Indianapolis Memorial Pace for the ladies features none other than Hot Mess Express, the sensational daughter of Panther Hanover, owned by former UK and NBA star Sam Bowie of West Palm Beach, FL.

Hot Mess Express has started 15 times this year for trainer Tony Alagna and she sports 13 wins and one second place finish with earnings of $625,634. She will be going for her fifth straight win.

With John De Long in the sulky, Hot Mess Express starts from post four and is the 8/5 morning line favorite. But there are a couple of other ladies in the field that will have something to say on who will win the race.

It will be the first time that Hot Mess Express faces the lass from Ireland, Oakwoodababella IR, who starts from post six with David Miller in the sulky.

This daughter of Foreclosure N, bred in Ireland by Oakwood Stud, raced her two-year-old season in Ireland, going undefeated in six starts. Owned by Denis Copse of County Limerick, Ireland, Oakwoodanabella IR was sent to the USA and has been trained by Brian Brown.

Brown has started her seven times with four wins, a lifetime mark of 1:49.3 and was second in her elimination heat and third in the final of the Jugette. Her last start was against older mare at the Meadowlands and she won for fun in 1:51.3.

Then in post eight it’s the Jugette winner, Scarlett Hanover from post eight for driver Tim Tetrick. The filly by Bettor’s Delight sports six wins and earnings of $496,000 for Team Burke. Along with her Jugette victory, Scarlett Hanover also captured the $182,250 Ontario Sire Stakes Final in a lifetime best 1:50.4 at Mohawk Park.

Other contenders include Blue Diamond Eyes (post 3), Kobe’s Gigi (post 7) and Always B Laughin, who drew the far outside post 10 for driver Trace Tetrick and comes into the race on a two-race win streak, last week scoring a lifetime bet 1:48.4 score in the Simpson Stakes at Harrah’s Philadelphia.

The 12^th race is the $220,000 Monument Circle Pace for the colts and the 7/5 morning line favorite is Bulldog Hanover from post seven for driver John De Long.

This colt by Shadow Play sports seven wins this year for trainer John Darling and the Jack Darling Stables and Brad Grant. Last week at Hoosier Park he won the Circle City Pace in a romp with a lifetime best 1:48 clocking.

Also, in the race are top colts Southwind Gentry (post 8), Whichwaytothebeach (post 2), Virgo (post 5) and Heart Of Chewbacca (post 6).

The $165,000 Carl Erskine Trot for the colts takes place in the fourth race and is headlined by Swingforthefences, who drew the rail for driver Peter Wrenn.

On a red hot four-race winning streak, Swingforthefences boasts nine win this year for the gelded son of Swan For All. Trained by Melanie Wrenn for prominent owners Dave McDuffee and L & L Devisser, LLC, Swingforthefences has raced mainly at Hoosier Park and has earnings this year of $352,224.

His biggest triumph came in the $270,000 Indiana Sire Stakes final where he scored a lifetime best 1:53.1 mile.

Contenders include 1:54 victor in his last start, Brookview Bolt, who goes from post seven for driver Trace Tetrick. The Swan For All gelding also had nine wins this year for Team Burke. Street Gossip (post 5), Seven Nation Army (post 2) and Platinum AS (post 3) will try their best against Swingforthefences.

The three-year-old trotting fillies battle in the ninth race $105,000 Crossroads Of America with Impressive Hill heading the field from the rail for driver Tim Tetrick.

This daughter of Muscle Hill sports eight wins in just 11 starts for trainer Rick Plano. She comes into the race with two straight wins, last week over a sloppy track taking the $56,000 Circle City in 1:52.3. Prior to that she won at Lexington in the $250,000 Kentucky Championship Series Final with a lifetime mark of 1:51.2.

Hoping to upset the 6/5 favorite will be Katie’s Lucky Day (post 6), who has nine wins this season for trainer Todd Luther. She will be driven by Trevor Smith and just two starts back won the $351,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity at the Red Mile in a lifetime best 1:50.4.

First race post time at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Friday is 6:30 pm.

By Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink