Filly favorites flounder again

ANDERSON, Ind.—September 16, 2021— After upsets ruled the last round of Indiana Sires Stakes action for two-year-old pacing fillies, the fifth round produced similar results as the fillies continue to sort out divisional harness racing supremacy. Two $68,500 divisions were featured on the evening’s 14-race card on Thursday, September 16.

The first division saw a 21-1 upset winner in the winner’s circle as John DeLong steered Always Gonna B You to a 1:51.2 victory for trainer Jeff Cullipher. The filly converted a pocket trip into a three and half length score over the post-time favorite and pace-setting Jk’s Rollin Baby and Trace Tetrick. Always Gonna B You tipped from the pocket late in the lane and used a :26.3 closing kick to stop the timer in a new lifetime best. Always Gonna B You returned a hefty $44.60 at the betting windows.

ALWAYS GONNA B YOU REPLAY

The homebred daughter of Always A Virgin—Passing Fancy is owned by Roll The Dice Stable and Val D’Or Farms. Always Gonna B You has now won two of nine lifetime starts while earning $69,676.

In the second division, it was Goo Goo Won and LeWayne Miller who utilized a near gate to wire effort to pull the slight upset and score in 1:53.4. Leaving from post eight and unable to find a spot along the rail in the early stages of the mile, Goo Goo Won pressed on to the lead and reach command just before the half. The Dylan Davis trainee was able to hold off a late surge from last week’s divisional winner Lorraine Smoke and James Yoder and the post-time favorite JJ Endofanera and John DeLong to get the victory. JJ Endofanera was forced to settle for second while Lorraine Smoke was third. Slightly dismissed at the betting windows, Goo Goo Won returned $13.60 to her backers at the betting windows.

GOO GOO WON REPLAY

The daughter of a Fred and Ginger—Malinka is also a homebred and is owned H&M Taylor and Judith Taylor. Goo Goo Won has now won two of six lifetime starts and sports a lifetime bankroll of $59,535.

Following the upsets in the freshman pacing fillies, it was the three-year-old trotting colts turn to take center stage at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on the Thursday evening card. Serving as races 12 and 13 on the night, the three-year-old trotting colts proved to be much more formful as the favorites prevailed in their penultimate leg of Indiana Sire Stakes action.

In the $48,500 first division, Swingforthefences backed up his 3-5 bettor’s choice billing for husband and wife team of Peter and Melanie Wrenn. Leaving from post two with Peter Wrenn aboard, Swingforthefences would land in the pocket in the early stages as second choice Illini Earl and Brandon Bates cut out the mile to the tune of a 27:2 opening quarter. Things would remain unchanged on the front end as Bates hit the brakes in a 29:4 second quarter, leading the field to the half mile station in 57:1 with Swingforthefences tight in the pocket for Wrenn.

On the far turn, Wrenn would continue to bide his time in second as King Felix and Trace Tetrick made their bid on a first over journey from last to be third and applying pressure on the leaders while Illini Earl led the field to three quarters in 1:26:3. As the trotters made their way for home, Wrenn and Swingforthefences waited for the passing lane to launch their bid, battling past Illini Earl and opening up late in the stretch to a length and a half victory in 1:54:4. Illini Earl held second, with Bodelicious launching a vicious 26:4 rally from the backfield for Mike Oosting to close for third.

SWINGFORTHEFENCES REPLAY

It was the fifth win in eleven season outings for the gelded son of Indiana’s leading trotting stallion, Swan For All. The consistent son out of the Muscles Yankee mare, Sunday Yankee has now hit the board in ten of those eleven starts during the 2021 season. The Melanie Wrenn vaulted his seasonal earnings to $161,750 on the season for owners David Mc Duffee and L&L Devisser LLC and has banked just shy of $300,000 for his career.

The $49,000 second division would immediately follow in race 13, with Ron Burke trainee and divisional points leader Brookview Bolt installed as the 3-5 favorite going for his third consecutive victory. Leaving from post three, Sam Widger would land in the middle of the pack in the field of eight, as the 82-1 longshot Northern Rocks and Alvin Miller stormed to the front end from outside post eight to an opening quarter of 27:4.

On the backstretch, the upset minded Northern Rocks continued to lead the way to the halfway point in 56:4 before Dan Shetler pulled the pocket with second choice Breckenridge, clearing to the lead entering the far turn. Shetler kept the pedal down on the far turn, separating themselves from the field by two and a half at three quarters in 1:25:3 as Brookview Bolt began to rally to third on the outside with five lengths to make up in the lane. In the stretch, Brookview Bolt continued to steadily eat into the lead built up by Breckenridge, using a 28:0 final quarter to get up just in the shadow of the wire by a nose over Breckenridge in 1:54:3. Predator And Prey and Jared Finn would close to be a close third, just one length off of the top duo.

BROOKVIEW BOLT REPLAY

Owned by the Burke Racing Stables, Weaver Bruscemi and J&T Silva – Purnel & Libby, Brookview Bolt has now won seven of eleven on the season, including his last three starts. The gelded son of Swan For All out of the Jailhouse Jesse mare Witty’s Winner has earned $153,432 on the season heading into the final leg of Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts set to take place on Thursday, October 7.

Live racing will return and Indiana Sires Stakes action continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, September 17 with the three-year-old pacing colts highlighting the evening’s 14-race card.

For full race results, click here.

From Harrah’s Hoosier Park