Four straight for JNB N Me at Indiana Downs

Shady Lane Meadows’ JNB N Me, fresh off a narrow victory in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for freshman filly pacers, collected her fourth consecutive victory at Indiana Downs Monday, September 15. The Dream Work two year old won her $15,000 ISS division in 1:55.4 while Ag-N-Au Bluegrass captured an earlier division in 1:54.3.

Ed Hensley picked up the drive, and the victory, in the night’s eighth race. The favorite, racing out of the Dan Perdue barn, started from the rail. Hensley placed the filly on the lead after the quarter (29.1) and the two never looked back, clicking off fractions of :58 and 1:27.2 before opening up in the stretch to win by two and one-quarter lengths. Roses For Mom and trainer Don Eash finished second and Misty Dreamer, driven by Walter Haynes Jr., closed for third.

Bred by Brooke Nickells, JNB N Me has won four of nine starts this season. The filly has missed the board only once and possesses earnings of more than $60,000.

In the first $15,000 split Ag-N-Au Bluegrass and driver Trent Stohler moved from the pylons to the center of the track and paced home in :28.4 to win by a quarter length over Sabriana Lane and Joe Essig Jr. The winning time of 1:54.3 established a new mark for the Whitefish Falls filly, trained by John Merkel for Dr. Luel Overstreet.

Starting from the rail, Stohler settled in behind Sabriana Lane in second before the two fillies were shuffled by VIP Filly and Mark O’Mara. The favorite commanded the field through fractions of :56.2 and 1:25.2 before fading in the stretch to finish fourth. Sapphire Martini and Hensley were third.

Runner-up in the $75,000 final, Ag-N-Au Bluegrass returned to earn her second seasonal win. She has finished first or second in four of five starts, all with Stohler in the bike.

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