NA Cup champ beastly in $180,000 Monument Circle

ANDERSON, Ind.—Oct. 4, 2024 – Nijinsky (Bettor’s Delight) proved to be a in a league of his own on Friday (Nov. 1) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, scoring decisively in the $180,000 Monument Circle which highlighted the 13-race harness racing card. Additionally, T C I (Cantab Hall) rebounded from a strong second-place effort last weekend in the Breeders Crown, cruising in the $175,000 Carl Erskine Memorial for sophomore trotting colts.

With regular pilot Louis Roy in tow, Nijinsky was sent away as the 1-20 favorite from post three in the field of ten for the evening’s feature. Roy guided the Anthony Beaton trainee into fourth off the gate while Solid Character (Dave Miller) blitzed to the lead through a first quarter of :25.3.

Roy’s hand was forced on the backstretch, tipping from fourth before a parked out Stat That (LeWayne Miller) fired three-deep around the bettors’ choice and drove to the front at odds of 93-1 to the half in :54. Left first-over entering the turn, Nijinsky brushed to the lead around the longshot before opening up by 3-1/2 lengths at three-quarters in 1:22.1.

With Roy keeping the pedal down and Stat That faltering in the pocket, the lead expanded to seven lengths midway through the lane for Nijinsky. With his pursuers well back in deep stretch, Nijinsky coasted home a winner by 5-1/4 lengths to stop the clock in 1:48.4. Tellmeitmatters (John De Long) rallied for the place spot, Miki Ray (Pete Wrenn) picked up show dough at 175-1.

The 1:48.4 clocking was just a fifth of a second off the stakes record of 1:48.3, established by Downbytheseaside in 2017 and since matched by Cattlewash (2020) and Bulldog Hanover (2021).

NIJINSKY REPLAY

Nijinsky has won 11 of 15 starts this season, banking $1,142,920 on the year for owners West Wins Stable, John Fielding and Mark Dumain. The son of Bettor’s Delight-Pirouette Hanover was bred by Jeffrey Snyder, and continues to add to a three-year-old resume that includes victories in the North America Cup, Simcoe Stakes and Ontario Sire Stakes Super Final.

Earlier on the card, T C I held up his end of the bargain as the 1-5 favorite in the Carl Erskine, emerging atop a skirmish with Indiana champion Gruesome Twosome and Ontario Champion Paquet.

T C I left alertly with driver Dave Miller, grabbing the pocket seat behind Paquet (Jody Jamieson) to the first quarter in :27.3. Miller moved T C I to the lead briefly on the backstretch before Gruesome Twosome (Daryl Bontrager) tipped from third to take command to the half in :56.3. The field of six trotted to the far turn with all three of the favorites having taken their turn on the lead, with Gruesome Twosome leading to three-quarters in 1:25.2.

At the top of the lane, Paquet moved back into contention first-over as Gruesome Twosome drifted off of the rail, providing daylight for T C I. Gruesome Twosome battle valiantly on the lead before T C I surged up the cones in :27.1 to power to victory by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.4. Gruesome Twosome held for second, Paquet finished third.

T C I REPLAY

Trained by Ron Burke, it was announced in the Winner’s Circle following the race that T C I will join the Midland Acres stallion roster in Ohio for 2025. He has won seven of 13 on the year, earning $592,202 on the year and over $1.8 million career for owners Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi.

Miller and Burke teamed up to take the filly counterpart as well on the night, taking the $110,000 Crossroads of America for sophomore trotting fillies.

Leaving from the outside post six as the 3-5 favorite, Miller wasted no time getting Sister Mary Maude (Crazy Wow) to the front through an opening quarter of :26.3. With the second-choice, Danger (Robert Taylor), on the Miller helmet, Sister Mary Maude led to the half in :55.2 before beginning to open up at three-quarters in 1:24.4. From there, Sister Mary Maude asserted her dominance in the lane, trotting clear to a four-length victory in 1:53. Danger would dead-heat for the place position with 26-1 shot, Bonn (Jordan Ross).

The New York bred has won four of 15 on the season, hitting the board in all but one of those efforts for owners Burke Racing Stable, William Switala, James Martin and Weaver Bruscemi. The effort was a career best for Sister Mary Maude who sports seasonal earnings of $376,477 and career earning just shy of a half-million.

SISTER MARY MAUDE REPLAY

Like Miller, Louis Roy tacked on the $100,000 USS Indianapolis Memorial for three-year-old pacing fillies to his haul, scoring with Odds On Platinum (Bettor’s Delight-American Jewel).

Leaving from the rail, Roy hustled Odds On Platinum into the first turn, leading to a scorching first-quarter of :25.4 to the inside of Seaside Diva (Chris Page). Seaside Diva crossed over to the lead on the backstretch, leading to the half in :54.3 before being challenged by stablemate Pass Line (Dave Miller) to three-quarters in 1:23.3. Odds On Platinum waited patiently for the passing lane in the stretch before surging to the lead, crossing the wire first by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:51.1.

Teelatini (Trace Tetrick) closed from last at the top of the stretch to be second, Lets Go Endofaera (John De Long) navigated stretch traffic to be third.

ODDS ON PLATINUM REPLAY

Dr. Ian Moore trains Odds On Platinum who has won seven of 19 this year, with a bankroll of $548,720 for owners Let It Ride Stables and Odds On Racing. The royally bred filly went over $820,000 in career earnings following her ninth lifetime victory.

Earlier on the card, Little Rocket Man paced to his 13^th victory of the season, taking the $21,000 Open pace in 1:50.1 on the front-end as one of four wins on the night for Dave Miller. Ken Rucker trains the 67-time career winner for owners Russ Beeman and Boomer Freeman who sports a career bankroll of $1.66 million.

Live racing continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Saturday, Nov. 2 with a 12-race card set to get underway at 7:00 p.m. The Saturday card features a carryover of $38,731.76 in the Jackpot Pick 6 (races 7-12), free programs are available on the Harrah’s Hoosier Park website.

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.

by Jacob Rheinheimer, for Harrah’s Hoosier Park