Tactical Approach Headlines Sophomore Stakes Winners at Harrah’s Hoosier Park

ANDERSON, Ind.—November 3, 2023—A week removed from the 40th edition of the Breeders Crown, Harrah’s Hoosier Park once again played host to some of the starts brightest starts in a quartet of sophomore stakes races on Friday, November 3. The beat went on for the 2023 Hambletonian Champion as Tactical Approach added yet another stakes score to his resume with a dominant performance in the $205,000 Carl Erskine which headlined the 13-race card.  

Teaming up once again with Scott Zeron, Tactical Approach wasted little time getting to the lead from post eight in the field of ten, crossing over to the pylons in front through a hot opening-quarter of :27. The Nancy Takter trainee maintained a solid pace on the engine, leading the field to the halfway point in :55.3 with Ponda Jet and Kyle Wilfong in hot pursuit from the pocket. Tactical Approach began to separate from the field rounding the far turn, putting three lengths between himself and Ponda Jet through three-quarters in 1:24.1 as French Wine and Andy Miller led the outer-flow into third.

As the trotters turned for home, Tactical Approach maintained a measured lead as he trotted home in :28 to score the victory by two-lengths on the line in 1:52.1. Jet Hill and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. navigated traffic in stretch to rally for the place position, with Ponda Jet holding for third. Tactical Approach returned $3.20 to his backers at the betting windows.

The victory was the tenth in 18 seasonal outings for Tactical Approach who has now banked $1,422,239 on the year for owners Robert Leblanc, John Fielding, Joe Sbrocco and Jaf Racing. Bred by Steve Stewart and Oakwood farms, trainer Nancy Takter noted the son of Tactical Approach-Sarcy is being pointed towards the $350,000 Fanduel Championship at the Meadowlands before heading to stud duty in Pennsylvania at Diamond Creek Farms in 2024.

Earlier on the card, Strong Poison kicked off the stakes action with a dominant front-end victory in the $105,000 USS Indianapolis Memorial for three-year-old pacing fillies. Starting from post two, driver Yannick Gingras settled Strong Poison into the third position in the early stages as Beach Cowgirl and Brian Sears set the tone early with a :26.4 opening-quarter. Gingras was ill-content to trail any longer as he gave Strong Poison her que from third as the fillies hit the backstretch, quickly clearing to the lead through an opening-half of :55.4. Ron Burke stablemate Southwind Bella and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. applied pressure on the turn, surging first-up to engage the leader at three-quarters in 1:23.4.

In the stretch, Strong Poison abruptly shrugged off the challenge from Southwind Bella, pacing away from the field with a :27 final-quarter to score the nearly three-length victory in 1:50.4. Beach Cowgirl got up for second, with Southwind Bella holding for third. Strong Poison paid $3.40 to win.

Strong Poison notched her fourth victory of the season, banking $407,116 in 2023 and $831,475 in her career for owners Burke Racing Stable, J&T Silva Stables, Knox Services and Beasty LLC. Bred by Steve Stewart along with Charles and Julie Nash, Strong Poison is a daughter of Always B Miki out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare, Fiyonce.

Call Me Goo overcame the second-tier to deliver in the $115,000 Crossroads of America for three-year-old trotting fillies at 7-2. Following an early break from Mommamia Volo from the rail, driver Dexter Dunn was able to navigate Call Me Goo into fifth as Mass Hysteria (David Miller) and Helpoftheseason (Peter Wrenn) dueled through an opening quarter of :28. Helpoftheseason cleared on the backstretch but wouldn’t hold the lead for long as Yannick Gingras sent Rose Run Yolanda on her way to the front, taking command to the half in :56.3. Cover came to Call Me Goo and Dunn entering the far turn with Scott Zeron sending 6-5 favorite Tactical Mounds to the outside, driving to the leader’s wheel at three-quarters in 1:25.

Call Me Goo vaulted off of the second-over trip in :28 to get up over a stubborn Tactical Mounds by a length on the line to earn the 1:53.4 victory. Rose Run Yolanda dug in for third to round out the trifecta. Call Me Goo paid $9.80 for the victory.

Trained by Jason Skinner, Call Me Goo picked up her 11th victory in 15 seasonal outings. The daughter of Googoo Gaagaa-Callmeza has earned $277,727 on the season and pushed her career bankroll to over $330,000 for owners Graham Grace Stables LLC.

In the $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.