Lindy The Great Captures Caesars Trotting Classic in Track Record Fashion at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino
ANDERSON, Ind.—September 20, 2019—Lindy The Great burst from the pack at the top of the stretch and trotted to a three and three-quarter length victory Friday, September 20 to capture the $230,000 Caesars Trotting Classic for free-for-all trotters at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. The five-year-old Crazed-Highscore Kemp stallion stopped the timer in 1:51.1 to equal the fastest mile ever trotted over the Anderson oval. The Caesars Trotting Classic headlined a Grand Circuit card that offered purses in excess of $1.4 million and some of the sport’s top stars.
“I liked him more today than the last two times I drove him. I felt like the last two times he was too aggressive and I couldn’t get him to relax through the mile,” said driver Louis Roy. “He was perfect today. He still made the lead, but I didn’t rush him because I didn’t want him too excited. After that, he was a gentleman; I could drive him with two fingers.”
Sent off at odds of 5-1, Roy and Lindy The Great moved to the lead from post five and soon found themselves in the pocket once Crystal Fashion and David Miller pushed to the front on the way to a :55 opening half. Marion Marauder, last year’s Caesars Trotting Classic champion, grabbed the cover and advanced to second as the field entered the turn. However, turning for home, Roy and his Domenico Cecere-trained trotter were up for the challenge, quickly separating themselves from the field by open lengths to score their sixth win of the season and fifth consecutive. Mission Accepted and Chris Page finished second followed by favorite Guardian Angel As and Tim Tetrick.
Owned by K R Breeding LLC, breeder of the stallion, and Robert Rudolph, Lindy The Great raised his seasonal bankroll to $168,965. His career earnings stand at $571,775. He returned $13.20-$9.20-$5.40 with the victory. The winning time eclipsed the 1:51.3 mark established by Southwind Chrome last week at Hoosier Park, and matched the time registered by gelding Bridge To Jesse’s in August. Lindy The Great now heads to Lexington for the Allerage.
It was a tough night for favorites in Hoosier Park’s highest profile events Friday. Yannick Gingras called an audible with This Is The Plan in the $176,000 Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby for free-for-all pacers, and the change in tactics produced a 1:48.4 victory for the Ron Burke trainee. Endeavor and Sam Widger raced a tough second while Filibuster Hanover settled for third after cutting the mile. Favorite McWicked raced sixth.
“Sometimes you get a scenario in your head. I didn’t tell anybody, but decided to race him from behind,” Gingras commented in the winner’s circle. “I figured if I take him back and follow McWicked, we’ll take our shots from there.”
Lining up from post two, This Is The Plan settled for fifth early as Filibuster Hanover and Endeavor fired for the lead with the latter clicking off a :26.3 opening quarter. Chris Page moved Filibuster Hanover to the front and with McWicked first up in fourth, Gingras slipped in behind the favorite. This Is The Plan was in perfect position turning for home, dashing to the wire with a :26.2 last panel to finish a quarter length in front.
“He’s been so good since the Ben Franklin,” Gingras explained. “He’s never put in a bad performance. Like last week, he finished seventh, but he raced as hard as any horse.”
The Somebeachsomewhere-That’s The Plan four year old picked up his third win in 16 starts this season. Bred by Moni Market Breeders, the gelding is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby and Lawrence Karr. The triumph pushed the pacer’s seasonal earnings to $743,598. He returned $9.60-$4.80-$4.20 to his backers.
Indiana sensation Priceless collected her biggest payday of the season with a 1:51.1 victory in the $230,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management stake for freshman pacing fillies. Driven by trainer Brandon Bates, the Rockin Image lass used a pocket trip to perfection, pacing home to a two-length margin at the wire in a lifetime best performance.
“It worked out exactly the way I had hoped. When Tim left (with favorite Beyond Ecstasy) I was ecstatic,” Bates said. “He cut some nice fractions in the race and it was pretty easy from there.”
The victory was the fifth in seven starts for the filly, bred by Mark Graber, Mervin Graber and Jacob Graber. Kevin Miller and Bert Hochsprung own the freshman, whom Hochsprung said could be headed to the Breeders Crown at the conclusion of the Indiana Sires Stakes campaign.
“I don’t know if we can beat them, but I’m probably going to give her a shot,” he said. “I told myself tonight that if we could beat this group, we’re probably going.”
Favorite Sherry Lyns Lady and Tim Tetrick battled back to nose out Rock Swan, driven by his brother, Trace, to take the $215,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management stake for freshman filly trotters in a time of 1:54.2. Crucial rounded out the trifecta. Trained by Jim Campbell for Coyote Wynd Farms, the victory was the second in nine outings for the Father Patrick two year old.
“I saw him coming,” Tetrick said of his brother and Rock Swan. “He had a jump on me and I was just hoping I could catch him late, and I did. Mine was a little funny in the last turn and she cost me a couple of steps, but good horses overcome that and she got up there and got it done.”
Bred by Steve Stewart and Timot Stable Inc., Sherry Lyns Lady now possesses seasonal earnings of $264,154.
Century Farroh showed why he was favored in the $170,000 Jennas Beach Boy for sophomore colt and gelding pacers. One of four supplemental entries into the race, the son of Mach Three claimed his 12th win in 14 seasonal starts, winning in 1:49.1. Crimson And Chrome raced second while Rockie Got Framed finished third.
Starting from the second tier, Sylvain Filion placed the colt on the front racing to a :54.3 first half. Once on the engine, he dictated the pace before going on to a one-length score. Dr. Ian Moore, who trains the colt for Ratchford Stable NS, said that the lightly-staked horse could return to Hoosier Park this fall, and a supplement into the Breeders Crown is not out of the question, saying he deserves a shot on his home turf.
“I’ll talk to the owner tonight and we’ll see what he says. Basically, right now, this time of year with any horse it’s sort of week to week because he’s been going since the end of January, it’s been a long grind,” said Moore. “Every decision we make from here on in will be week to week.”
Sawyer’s Desire and Gingras used a :26.4 last quarter to get by favored Odds On Osiris to capture the $125,000 Elevation for freshman colt and gelding pacers in a lifetime best 1:51. Trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and breeder David Wills, the victory was the second of the season for the Real Desire gelding. Sent off at 8-1 odds, he paid $18.60-$4.00-$3.20.
Favored Evident Beauty, driven by David Miller, kept a neck in front of Grand Swan and Lewayne Miller in deep stretch to score a 1:53.3 triumph in the $135,000 Moni Maker for sophomore trotting fillies. The Trixton three year old, bred by White Birch Farm, collected her seventh win in 12 starts, improving her seasonal earnings to $487,206. Her career tally now stands at $735,398 for trainer Nifty Norman and owners Melvin Hartman, Little E LLC and R A W Equine Inc.
Live racing will continue at Harrah’ s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, September 21. With a daily post time of 6:30 pm, live racing will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through November 9. For more information on the upcoming entertainment and live racing schedule, please visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.
About Harrah’s Hoosier Park
Harrah’s Hoosier Park, which is owned and operated by a subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR), holds multiple awards from industry publications for customer service, entertainment, gaming, dining, and team member culture. Harrah’s Hoosier Park, a fully-integrated gaming and racing facility, features 2,000 of the latest slots and electronic table games and a 7/8 mile oval horse track offering live harness racing each year. Simulcast wagering is offered year-round at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, the Winner’s Circle Pub, Grille & OTB in Indianapolis and Winner’s Circle OTB & VooDoo BBQ & Grill in New Haven/Fort Wayne, Ind. For more information, please visit www.HarrahsHoosierPark.com. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing at racetracks and 21 or older to gamble at sports books and casinos. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (1-800-994-8448) ©2019 Caesars License Company, LLC.
