Madison County stakes highlight Hoosier card

ANDERSON, Ind.-October 25, 2015 – Everyone knows ladies come first and it was no exception on Saturday, (October 24) at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino as the facility hosted four divisions of the Madison County Stakes for harness racing 2-year-old trotting lads and lasses and two divisions for their pacing colleagues.

Naughty III, a veteran performer over the Anderson surface, was the first participant to be feted in the winners' circle after capturing the second race, which was a $39,250 split for the diagonally gaited. Guided by Tyler Smith and conditioned by Melanie Wrenn, the daughter of Here Comes Herbie and the outstanding Indiana performer Msnaughtybynature was content to lead the field through the first quarter mile in :28, yielded to Cash All for the second panel and then regained the top position at the three quarter pole.

From there was never much doubt Naughty III would collect her fourth career triumph to improve her record to 12-4-4-1 and boost her bankroll to over $150,000 as the overwhelming public choice by stopping the clock in 2:00. Owned by the Kales Company and Wrenn Racing, the filly was followed home by Catch All and Maeve Quaider. The payouts were $3.40, $7.00 and $2.00.

The fifth race was the $77,300 opportunity for 2-year-old pacing fillies to strut their stuff in the Madison County Stake and that is exactly what Can't Touch This did. The daughter of Rockin Image and Fox Valley Monika, who was the wagering public's second selection, was steered by Dan Shetler and is trained by Roger Welch.

Shetler placed her in the garden spot shortly after the break and the Indiana champion remained settled in that position through three quarters of the mile with fractions of :27.2, :56.3 and 1:26.2 until her pilot gave her the green light. That's when Can't Touch This overhauled post time favorite Roll With Dreams and poured it on the stretch to hit the wire four lengths the best.

The final time for the contest was 1:56.1, the win improved the filly's record to 15-6-1-2 and she now has more than $150,000 in the bank. Owned by William C. DeLong, William P. DeLong and Douglas Riccolo, Can't Touch This paid $7.60, while Kak's Shark Attack provided $4.60 and Roll With Dreams offered $2.80.

"She is a treacherous horse in that pocket spot," Shetler said. "She is a tempermental filly but tonight she stayed in there and was patient. Then again, that's not surprising. She's like all other women and they generally do not put up with too much."

The second $39,250 trotting split of the Madison County Stake was race seven on the card and Just Jess dominated her competition to have her picture taken as the Anderson oval's latest stakes victress when she tripped the teletimer in 1:59.3.

Sent off at odds of 9-2, the daughter of Jailhouse Jesse and Glide Sally Glide, was guided through her mile by her trainer Doug Rideout. Owned by Alan White and Julie Rideout, Just Jess was sent to the lead from the third spot after a :28 first panel and her driver never experienced an anxious moment for the rest of the mile.

"I knew when I pulled her out and Hot Curry was not gaining on us she was gone," he said. "I still had a ton of horse left and did not even have to ask her."

Love To Win was second and Cindy Lane got up for third. The payouts were $5.00, $8.20 and $2.10. Just Jess's record now stands at 15-8-2-1 and she has amassed more than $250,000 in her first season of racing.

In race nine, it was time for the colts and geldings to perform in their respective divisions. Downthehighwy led the sole group of pacing participants in their quest for the $76,700 purse. The son of Dontgetinmyway and Happy Tears is owned by Mack Racing Stables and had the services of Jason Dillander, who won four races over the course of the evening, in the bike.

Trained by Robert Taylor, the colt was the easiest of victors as he literally led from wire to wire through fractions of :27.3, :57.3, 1:25.4 and 1:54 to increase his career earnings to just shy of $175,000. Downthehighwy now sports a resume of 14-4-4-2 and provided his backers with $3.80 to win. Mystical Rock raced well to be second and paid $2.20, while Winwood Mac nailed down the show spot. He was $2.10 to place.

"The wind has definitely picked up enough where you have to work a little bit harder on the backside of the mile," Dillander said. "But that really was no problem for him tonight. He felt very strong throughout the entire mile."

Late Bid Tom has trotted some huge miles in this last four races and really was appearing to come into his own. In race 11 the son of Jailhouse Jesse and Whisk Hanover rewarded his connections' faith in his ability as a youngster by annexing his $37,600 division by a head over Victor's Hall.

Leaving the gate as the 9-5 top choice, the gelding, who is conditioned by Jeff Cullipher and was in rein to Jason Dillander, raced in third through fractions of :27.4, :58.1, 1:28.3 before making his move at the top of the stretch to mow down Victor's Hall and surpass him by that very scant margin at the finish line. Treasure Keys K rounded out the trifecta.

"We have always thought very highly of him," Cullipher said. "We thought he had a lot of ability right when we first got him, so we always expected to him to be a nice colt. We are very pleased with how he has been performing and how he raced tonight."

Owned by Randall Bendis, Thomas Pollack and David Lewis Linker, Late Bid Tom paid $5.60 for the triumph and now has a slate of 12-3-3-2 with purse money earned standing at $127,800. Victor's Hall provided $5.00 and Treasure Keys K was $3.00 to show.

Race 13 featured the final $37,600 division and Macy's Big Boy claimed the prize. The son of Donato Hanover and Macy Lane only had four trips to the post in 2015 and this performance broke his maiden, as he had hit the line once in second place and another in third. Driven by Dan Shetler and conditioned by that same individual, the colt is owned by Silver Linden Farms.

Placed in sixth position off the gate, Macy's Big Boy remained in that spot for the first panel of the mile, advanced into fifth at the half mile marker and improved his position to third at the top of the lane. As he trotted to the wire, he increased his lead over all but a determined Emerald Chip who had tons of trot. That rival closed from fifth to just miss at the finish line. Here Comes Rocky was up for third.

Kimberly French