“Quest for the Governor’s Cup” rolls into Jay County Fairgrounds

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (July 2, 2023) – The sixth round of the Indiana fair harness racing circuit’s “Quest for the Governor’s Cup” rolls into the Jay County Fairgrounds Monday, July 3. The program will feature 23 races for freshman and sophomore trotters and pacers, with an 11 a.m. first post. Heat Check (Check Six-Doc’s Diva) and Sure Do (You Know You Do-Challax Hanover) are back in action at Portland after establishing new speed marks over the Shelbyville oval last week.

Heat Check picked up his first seasonal win June 27 at the Shelby County Fairgrounds with a 1:57.4 score. Trained by Donna Loney, he was driven to victory by owner James Reed. The winning time shaved one-fifth of a second off DP Realordeal’s 2021 mark. Reed will again steer Heat Check Monday, lining up third in the day’s eighth race, the last of four divisions for freshman pacing colts. With 99 points earned to date, Heat Check occupies 10th in the division standings.

Hereisthedesire (Luck Be Withyou), the current divisional leader with 192 points, has drawn into the same contest. Carson Conrad will guide the three-time winner, trained by his father, Charlie, from post five. Chocluck Chip, currently second in the standings, will start from the second tier in the day’s seventh race. James Yoder trains and drives the colt, also a three-time winner on the circuit with a mark of 1:55.1 after a June 21 victory at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Sure Do, a Governor’s Cup Championship winner last season and current sophomore filly trot divisional leader, enters Monday’s event a perfect four-for-four on the fair circuit. Trained and driven by Jay Cross for owner Carl Hanes, the three-year-old lowered the Shelbyville speed mark by a full second last week with a 2:00 clocking. The performance erased the old standard set by Socialdelight in 2014 and matched by Cantab’s Charm in 2015. Sure Do has drawn post four in Race 20 and will be driven by Cross.

Undefeated trotter Dashing Danny (Dover Dan-Sashay) attempts to collect his sixth win Monday at Portland in the second of three divisions for two year old colts. The colt, owned by Mark Wright, recently won June 28 at Shelbyville in 2:07. Logan Loney will pilot the trotter from the second tier in the day’s 12th race. Dashing Danny currently leads the division with 255 points, more than 100 ahead of three-time winners Uncle Archie (154) and Woodside Hank (153). Woodside Hank is also entered Monday, drawing post four in the third division, slated as Race 13.

Sophomore pacer Attaboy Lloyd (Check Six-Jk Ru Bettor Yet), four-for-four this season and leader in the pacing colt division, headlines the first of two $3,800 splits. Owned and trained by Scott Linville, the gelding is the lone winner competing in Monday’s 17th race. He will be driven from post four by Don Cincebox in the eight-horse field. Coaches Corner and Always A Way, second and third in the standings, have drawn into the second division, Race 18. Both Always A Virgin sophomores are three-time winners in 2023.

After five rounds of competition, defending leading driver and trainer Doug Rideout is again atop the standings for each category. Rideout has steered 18 winners while sending out 17 victorious starters. Yoder ranks second among drivers with 15 winners, with Cincebox and Brad Ferguson tied for third with 13 scores each. Yoder is also second among trainers with 14 triumphs and Linville has collected 13.

Listed below are the top eight point earners in each division, including ties, to date. Points are tabulated by the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. Horses earn a point for each start made on the fair circuit, with race winners awarded 50 points. A second-place finish merits 25 points, a third-place effort yields 12 points, eight points are awarded for fourth place and five points for fifth place. The top eight point earners in each division that have also made the prerequisite seven fair starts will compete in the $25,000 Governor’s Cup Championships to be held August 16 at the Indiana State Fair.

Two-Year-Old Filly Pace

Chocolate Espresso 179; Rockinwithdave 153; Eq’s Lady Desire 141; Shipps Revenge 134; Northern Lucky Lei 128; Lickcreek Molly 115; Miss Freaky Feet 105; Vel Quick Daisy 103

Two-Year-Old Colt Pace

Hereisthedesire 192; Chocluck Chip 179; Where’s Drogon 153; He’s Lost In Time, Two Twenty 141; Notorious Luck, Mister Hercules 128; M-M’s Bud 115

Two-Year-Old Filly Trot

Swan So Fine 167; Black Gold 153; Misty Mills 128; Full Coverage 115; Fly Delta 109; Betsy Crickets 105; Agent Of Fortune 103; Lady By A Nose 92

Two-Year-Old Colt Trot

Dashing Danny 255; Uncle Archie 154; Woodside Hank 153; Lynnly’s Lucky Al 128; Dover In Action, Pilot Heir 103; Surfer Dude, CS Flying Co-Pilot 86

Three-Year-Old Filly Pace

Shake Me Loose, Mystic Melissa 153; Kruisin Kristen 112; Vel What A Dream 104; Fanfoss 97; Vel Straight Out 96; Fleeting Flivver 93; Swartz Bros Elen 77

Three-Year-Old Colt Pace

Attaboy Lloyd 204; Coaches Corner 162; Always A Way 128; Checkerswthgrandpa 116; Nimble Ned 115; Lil Joe IV 109; Brooklyns Carmine 70; Rockinforreal 53

Three-Year-Old Filly Trot

Sure Do 204; Sea Surfer 162; Wanda’s Wonder 128; Jailhouse Garland 122; Night Speed 112; Tucky Girl 79; Bucks Princetonian 72; Ruby Roundhouse 70

Three-Year-Old Colt Trot

Prince Henry 168; Asliveroffashion 137; Help Dust, Mr Knowitall 129; Woodside Genius 116; Jailhouse Yankee 115; Cantab Superstar 95; Dover Glide 80

Racing fans are encouraged to follow along and participate this season using #RaceLikeAHoosier on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

2023 Quest for the Governor’s Cup Locations and Dates

Complete – Round 1: Converse, Ind. – June 1 & 2

Complete – Round 2: Converse, Ind. – June 7 & 8

Complete – Round 3: Corydon, Ind. – June 15 & 16

Complete – Round 4: Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Anderson, Ind. – June 21, 22 & 23

Complete – Round 5: Shelbyville, Ind. – June 27 & 28

Round 6: Portland, Ind. – July 3

Round 7: Kendallville, Ind. – July 8

Round 8: Frankfort, Ind. – July 13 & 14

Round 9: Kentland, Ind. – July 18

Round 10: Goshen, Ind. – July 22 & 25

Round 11: Connersville, Ind. – July 31 & August 1

Round 12: Portland, Ind. – August 5

Round 13: Frankfort, Ind. – August 10 & 11

Governor’s Cup Championships: Indianapolis, Ind. – August 16

Horses earn a point for each start made on the fair circuit, with race winners awarded 50 points. A second-place finish merits 25 points, a third-place effort yields 12 points, eight points are awarded for fourth place and five points for fifth place. The top eight point earners in each division that have also made the prerequisite seven fair starts will compete in the $25,000 Governor’s Cup Championships.

Indiana fair races will be available via livestream this season through a partnership between the Indiana Standardbred Association and Indiana Standardbred Breed Development. Fans can watch fair racing by visiting the ISA website, indianaharness.com, on race days. Races will be archived on the website. Fans can also download fair programs throughout the season by visiting indianaharness.com/2023-fair-race-programs/.

For a complete and printable list of all Indiana harness racing dates for 2023, visit https://www.in.gov/hrc/sb/files/horse_racing_dates_locations_2023.pdf.  If you have questions about the Indiana fair racing program, contact the Indiana Horse Racing Commission at 317-233-3119 or email INhorseracing@hrc.in.gov.

by the USHWA Indiana chapter