Hoosier Cup next adventure for Evers

Trainer Jack Franklin has shipped two sophomore colts to Hoosier Park with hopes of entering them in the $500,000 (est.) Hoosier Cup Saturday night, but it now appears only one name—Next Adventure—will go into the entry box for Indiana’s richest harness race. Next Adventure, a Real Artist colt who was undefeated in three previous starts, finished fourth last Saturday night in the $11,000 Open Pace, an effort that was good enough to convince driver Mark Evers.

“I think I’ll roll the dice with this one,” Evers said of the colt, owned by Velocity Standardbreds. “This one acts like he’s got more pace.”

Evers carefully managed Next Adventure from the nine hole, racing him near the back of the field for much of the mile. In the stretch he turned the colt loose, posting a :26.3 final panel, the fastest in the field. Next Adventure was race timed in 1:55.1 over the “sloppy” track while the winner stopped the clock in 1:54.2.

“They came home in :26.4 and he picked up three or four lengths,” Evers added. “He was the only 3 year old in the race. This one’s going in.”

Tufsun Beach, a Jenna’s Beach Boy colt, was also under consideration for the Hoosier Cup. After finishing third in an overnight contest paced in 1:53.1, Evers says he’s unsure the colt will compete in the Hoosier Cup.

“I don’t know about the other one. If he’s not good enough, he’s close,” the driver said. “That’s a pretty big starting fee.”

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