Full field expected for Saturday's Hoosier Cup

Hoosier Park Racing and Casino’s richest harness race, the $500,000 (estimated) Hoosier Cup, was moved up one month earlier on the calendar this year to avoid conflicts on the schedule with other contests for 3-year-old colt pacers, and the move appears to be paying off as several top colts are pointed toward the May 30 event in hopes of collecting a big payday early in the stakes season.

“It’s coming along great. We had 86 nominations and over 20 with $100,000 in earnings as two year olds,” said Hoosier Park racing secretary Gregg Keidel. “We have a date without any conflicts and that part of it has worked.”

According to the number of commitments he has received, Keidel says the race could be “real close” to splitting, meaning eliminations and a final would be contested. The conditions of the Hoosier Cup have been changed so that this year is the last time eliminations would be required. In the future, only the top 12 money earners will secure a spot behind the starting gate.

“Everybody I have talked to would prefer to go one heat,” Keidel explained. “We could end up with two short fields. If that’s the price we have to pay, we’ll do it. We have a great field to draw from and the final will be one hell of a race.”

Trainer George Teague is set to send Chasin Racin and is considering Mr Wiggles, fourth-place finisher in the $300,140 Max C. Hempt final. He is also contemplating entering a third horse, but is hesitant to ship Hempt final winner Johnny Z due to the colt’s schedule and the chance the race could go two heats.

“It makes me a little concerned that there will be double heats if enough horses enter,” Teague stated. “He’s eligible to the Burlington and the North America Cup. I’m not crossing him out yet, but I’m leaning toward the races in Canada. My main concern is if we can stay out of that this early in the season, I would prefer not to wear him out.”

Joe Seekman won the 2008 edition of the Hoosier Cup with Art Official. This year he will try to repeat with Berry’s Creek final victor Annieswesterncard. The Western Hanover colt hasn’t started since his victory in the $230,000 final, held May 9, sidelined with a touch of sickness. The trainer would prefer that his colt had a start heading into the Hoosier Cup.

“If he scopes clean we’ll enter him. We had something go through the barn and I wanted to make sure he’s clear of that,” Seekman commented. “I would have liked to have had a start, but it’s a long season too. We’ll try him off the training track.”

Sheer Desire, coming off a disappointing eighth-place performance in the Hempt final, is also confirmed for the Hoosier Cup. The Real Desire gelding is expected to arrive at Hoosier Park Wednesday. He is trained by Ronnie Burke, who will entrust the colt to Jamie Rucker while out of the country campaigning Buck I St Pat in the Elitlopp. Sheer Desire equaled the world record for freshman pacers last season with a 1:49.3 effort at Lexington.

Nob Hill High is set to provide the Hoosier Cup with some local flavor. A national season’s record holder at two, the son of McArdle has been racing at Hoosier Park for Ohio-based trainer Bill Webb, and his connections are poised to take their shot in the half million dollar race. Nob Hill High, the last foal from 1988 Jugette winner Anniecrombie, is coming off a 1:56.1 qualifying effort at Hoosier Park.

“That was our plan all along, to get a few starts in and try for the Hoosier Cup,” noted Webb. “If anything worries me it’s that he’s never seen this kind of speed. He’s done everything we’ve asked him, I just hope we’re not asking too much.”

Another local horse, Standupnkissme, is another Hoosier Cup hopeful. The son of Stand Forever recently won at Hoosier Park in 1:51.1. (By James Platz)

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