Nijinsky 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 card. Additionally, T C I 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 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.

$190,000 Monument Circle for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, Coach Stefanos once again delivered a wicked rally to score the mild 7-1 upset. Saddled with the outside post nine, driver Trace Tetrick opted to take back in the early stages into eighth in the field of ten as Admiral Hill and Andy Miller stung Why Not Now and Dexter Dunn to the opening quarter in :27. Why Not Now cleared off the turn and quickly relinquished as David Miller put Stockade Seelster on the engine from fourth on the way to the half in :55. Coach Stefanos and Tetrick could see them all at the three-quarter station from fifth-over in a stalled outside cover-flow as Stockade Seelster led to three-quarters in 1:22.4.

Tetrick uncorked Coach Stefanos to the far outside to begin his furious rally to the front as Stockade Seelster did battle with Why Not Now who took his shot up the passing lane up front. Taking flight with a :25.1 final-quarter, Coach Stefanos thundered home to nail the dueling leaders by a half-length on the wire in 1:49.4. Why Not Now got up for second, with Stockade Seelster finishing third.

Trained by Erv Miller, Coach Stefanos added a seventh win of the season through 15-seasonal outings. Bred by Victory Hill Farm, the son of Tellitlikeitis-Watch N Be Watched vaulted his seasonal earnings over the half-million dollar mark and his career earnings to $747,920 for owners Ken Duffy, D&M Trading Il LLC and John Stefanos.

Less than a week removed from the Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park, Harrah’s Hoosier Park played host to Grand Circuit action for the sport’s top sophomores on Friday (Nov. 4), highlighted by the $200,000 Monument Circle, for 3-year-old pacing colts. Making his way back to the States following a third-place effort in the Breeders Crown Final, Bythemissal overcame the outside post nine, a fierce homestretch headwind, and nine of the best sophomore pacers in the game to add yet another trophy to his collection.

Driver Chris Page navigated the outside post from the outset, landing 1-5 favorite Bythemissal in fifth as Birthday and David Miller took the lead through an opening quarter of :26.4. Page gave Bythemissal his cue up the backstretch, sending the Little Brown Jug winner first-over and engaging his Ron Burke stablemate through a :54.2 half. Bythemissal forged clear to the lead entering the far turn, taking the field to three quarters in 1:21.3 before turning for home and bracing for a 20-mile-per-hour headwind in the stretch.

In the lane, Bythemissal felt the pressure of a two-pronged attack as stablemate Birthday rallied up the passing lane and a hard-charging Ponda Warrior (driven by Mark MacDonald) closed from second-over. The trio slugged it out to the finish line, and Bythemissal valiantly fended off his challengers, digging deep in the stretch to score by a half length in 1:49.3 over Birthday and Ponda Warrior, who finished second and third, respectively.

“He’s a horse that just knows how to win,” Page noted, “I got away close enough and I thought the fractions set up pretty well for me to make a move up the backstretch. This horse has never been passed yet in the lane, so I felt pretty confident if I could get him to the lead he would be tough to beat. I hopped on this horse when he was just winning a non-winners of two this spring, it’s been pretty special to go from there to winning the Jug and the Adios. All the credit goes to Ron Burke and the incredible job he’s done keeping this horse so good all year long.”

It was the 13th victory in 16 seasonal starts for the Ron Burke-trained Bythemissal, who is yet to miss the board in his career. Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Eric Good, Rich Lombardo Racing LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC,

The gelded son of 2017 Monument Circle winner Downbytheseaside has banked $1,164,688 on the season, making him the third richest Standardbred of 2022 thus far behind only world champion Bulldog Hanover and North America Cup winner Pebble Beach.

Some of the sport’s brightest stars were back in action at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, November 5 as they hosted a stakes filled card highlighted by the $220,000 Monument Circle Pace for three-year-old pacing colts. After an eye opening 1:48 score against stakes company on a sloppy rated track last week, Bulldog Hanover turned in another gritty performance to capture the $220,000 Monument Circle Pace. With driver John DeLong in the bike for trainer John Darling, Bulldog Hanover chased down upset minded Gamblin’ Mo and Sam Widger and stop the timer in 1:48.3. The 1:48.3 effort equaled the stakes record for The Monument Circle Pace set by Downbytheseaside and Chris Page in 2017 and equaled in 2020 by World Champion Cattlewash and Dave Miller.

Leaving from post seven in the talented field of nine, Bulldog Hanover settled along the rail in fourth while a host of others left for position. Virgo and Trace Tetrick stepped out of the gate but Gamblin Mo and Sam Widger were a step quicker. Gamblin Mo led the field through first half fractions of :26.2 and :53.4 before being joined by Heart of Chewbacca and Tim Tetrick applying pressure from first-over. DeLong had Bulldog Hanover ready to strike from second-over and Whichwaytothebeach and Andrew McCarthy were following intently from third-over.

As the field reached the three-quarters in 1:21, Gamblin Mo was still calling the shots and appeared up to the task. DeLong tipped Bulldog Hanover went to work. Using a :26.4 Bulldog Hanover was eventually able to wear down Gamblin Mo before opening up by four lengths at the wire. Gamblin Mo held on for second while Whichwaytothebeach rallied for third. As the 2-5 favorite, Bulldog Hanover returned $2.80 to his backers at the betting windows.

“He can be a little bit of a handful,” DeLong noted. “The trip worked out a lot better than I thought it was going to. He was running out in the stretch but we were pacing so fast, I didn’t want to get in his way. He’s a very fast horse and that was a good win for him tonight.”

It was the eighth win of the season from 13 seasonal starts for the son of Shadow Play—Bj’s Squall. Trained by John Darling, Bulldog Hanover now sports a lifetime bankroll of $711,594 for owners John Darling and Bradley Grant. Bulldog Hanover was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms.

World Champion and co-track record holder Cattlewash was back in the Hoosier Park winner’s circle after an authoritative score in the $160,000 Monument Circle Pace for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. With regular pilot David Miller in the bike, Cattlewash utilized his customary front-running tactics to win by two lengths and stop the timer in 1:48.3.

Tattoo Artist and Joe Bongiorno set the hot early tempo of :25.4 before Miller gave Cattlewash the green light down the backside. Cattlewash rattled off fractions of :54.1 and 1:21.4 before pacing home in :26.4 to get the victory over stablemate Elver Hanover and driver Chris Page. Catch The Fire and Mike Wilder rallied well late to round out the trifecta. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, Cattlewash returned $3.40 for the victory.

“The trip worked out well for us tonight,” Miller noted in the winner’s circle. “He definitely races his best race on the front—he’s very game on the lead. He got a little bit of a late start this season but he has really come around lately and going two heats in the Jug was the best thing for him. He was as strong tonight as he has been all year.”

Trained by Ron Burke, the son of Somebeachsomewhere—Road Bet was bred and is owned by W J Donovan. Cattlewash has now won 5 of 14 seasonal starts while earning $709,977 lifetime. 

One of the biggest upsets of the night came in the very next race on the program as De Los Cielos Deo and Matt Kakaley got up in the final strides of the mile to upset the heavily favored Hickfromfrenchlick in the $225,000 Monument Circle Pace for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. De Los Cielos Deo stopped the timer in 1:49.2.

With an eight race-win streak on the line, Hickfromfrenchlick went to the front from post eight to dictate fractions of :26.4, :54.3 and 1:22.1 before ever feeling a threat from the rest of the field. De Los Cielos Deo sat patiently in third for much of the mile but was in perfect striking position turning for home. Kakaley tipped De Los Cielos Deo and he found a :26.3 closing kick to track down Hickfromfrenchlick late in the lane. Dealer’s Table and Sam Widger utilized a ground saving trip to round out the trifecta. De Los Cielos Deo returned $10.40 to his backers at the betting windows. 

“I was confident coming into tonight,” Kakaley said in the winner’s circle. “He was good last week in the Breeders Crown. He’s been pretty inconsistent but I knew if he showed up tonight he’d be good. I’ve only driven him a couple times but he’s got the speed. The way the trip worked out for him tonight was beautiful.”

With the win, De Los Cielos Deo recorded his second win from 17 outs this season for trainer Ron Burke. The son of Captaintreacherous-Lisjune has now earned $425,080 in lifetime purse earnings and is owned in partnership by Burke Racing Stable, Larry Karr, J&T Silva, Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi. De Los Cielos Deo was bred by Louis Willinger and Deo Volente Farms.