Indiana Summer Championships at Indy Downs

Go On BB became the richest Indiana-sired horse in history Saturday evening, September 12 with a 1:52 victory in the $90,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for older mare pacers. The Dontgetinmyway five year old was one of 10 champions crowned during a lucrative 14-race Indiana Summer Championships program at Indiana Downs that offered more than $1.4 million in purses.

 

“You need a lot of luck in this business,” said owner Frank Baldachino. “She’s been a champion at two, three, four, and now five. She’s just a great horse.”

 

Entering Saturday’s program, Go On BB had earned just over $856,000 to rank second behind Eash Racing Stable’s Foxy Maneuver. The mare took her place atop the list with a dominating performance for trainer Ron Burke, brushing to the lead on the backstretch and powering home to a three and one-half length victory. Postmark and Dan Shetler raced second while A Golden Rose rounded out the trifecta. She was driven to victory by Ricky Macomber.

 

“She’s probably the best horse I’ve sat behind,” the driver said. “She’s the most consistent.”

 

Bred by Robert Bendel, Go On BB pushed her career earnings to more than $900,000 with the win, her 46th career tally in 81 starts. The mare has won ISS finals in each of the last four seasons. Out of Nobleland Sam mare Challo B B, Go On BB was the heavy favorite in the night’s final.

 

Indiana Downs’ card began on a high note when Msnaughtybynature and Peter Wrenn collected the $125,000 ISS final for two-year-old filly trotters. The Scramble Ranger lass stopped the clock in 1:57.2, a new stakes record. Call Me Ching mounted a challenge in the stretch, but could do no better than second while SJ’s Cashreturn was third.

 

“She digs deep down by the wire,” said Wrenn, who trains and co-owns the filly with The Kales Company of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “She likes to go; she’s a very competitive filly.”

 

The victory helped Msnaughtybynature sweep the first ISS series and final. Bred by Denise Dennis, the filly improved her bankroll to more than $110,000.

 

While Go On BB and Msnaughtybynature prevailed Saturday, favorites didn’t fare as well in other ISS finals action. Several winners lit up the tote board with stunning upsets and massive payouts. The first upset of the night came in the second race on the program when 70-1 Solvent scored a 2:00 victory in the $125,000 ISS final for freshman colt trotters. Driven by Jay Cross, the ABC Garland gelding overtook favorite ABC Photo late in the stretch to collect his first seasonal score. Earl’s Glider finished third.

 

“Coming out of the turn I thought we might be second,” stated trainer Dave White. “Inside the eighth pole he was just inching by him. He’s a young, green colt that shows some ability.”

 

Owned by Ted Engel and Frank McCurdy, Solvent returned $152.60 to his backers with the win. The gelding, bred by Don Swartzentruber, is from Supergill mare Trot For The Roses.

 

Like Solvent, Scruuppti and Matt Kakaley pulled an upset at odds of 30-1. The duo also scored an upset in the $125,000 ISS final for freshman filly pacers. The Doug Hinklin trainee flipped off favorite Bluebird Regal’s back and kicked home in :27.4 to win by a length and a quarter. Sara’s Lucky Charm raced third for Mark O’Mara.

 

“I just flushed out the favorite and got a perfect trip,” said Kakaley, who was racing at Indiana Downs for the first time. “She exploded when I moved her; she was just running right through the bridle.”

 

Scruuppti, owned by Crystal Ball Stables of Akron, Ohio, collected her first career win. The Kilowatt filly stopped the clock in 1:55.1, paying $63.80 in victory.

 

The upsets continued in the $150,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for sophomore colt pacers as 40-1 Mystical Valentine and Peter Wrenn found room along the rail and surged to a 1:52.3 triumph. Second choice Matts Image paced second and 30-1 Theory’s Hero rounded out the trifecta. Got ‘Er Done and Evening Job, the favored entries in the race, finished fourth and fifth respectively. It was the fourth seasonal win for the Erv Miller pupil, previously a winner of $76,940 in his career, returned $84.20. The Dream Work gelding is owned by Mystical Marker Farms LLC.

 

Third choice Joe Cat and Ricky Macomber reeled in favorite Who’s Unreal to win the $150,000 finale for sophomore colt trotters Saturday, hitting the wire in front by a head. Get To Trottin’ was third. The Profile’s Delux gelding, a recent addition to the Burke Stable, earned his seventh of the year in 1:57.4.

 

“I liked the situation we were in (after a :27.2 opening quarter stung Who’s Unreal),” explained Macomber. “I got him right at the last step. It’s a game of inches.”

 

Bred by Abraham Whittmer, the gelding is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruschemi, JJK Stables and Frank Baldachino.

 

Iron Claw and Charlie Conrad raced sixth early before propelling to a 1:54.1 score in the $125,000 ISS final for two-year-old colt pacers Saturday at Indiana Downs. The 9-1 fifth choice in the scratch-shortened field of nine closed in :27.1 to finish a length and one-quarter in front. Favorite Viking Kilowatt and trainer Trent Stohler followed in second and Roll On Home was third for Sam Widger.

 

Ag-N-Au Bluegrass turned the tables on favorite High Speed Life to capture the $150,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finale for sophomore filly trotters. Sweetsgetintheway (Dan Shetler) overtook High Speed Life for second. The John Merkel-trained Whitefish Falls filly tripped the timer in 1:52.3 to ear her first finals victory. She was driven to victory by Wrenn, thrice a winner Saturday in ISS action. The Luel Overstreet-owned filly raised her earnings to $277,000.

 

“You couldn’t have drawn it out any better. The trip was perfect,” Merkel added. “She was good early in the year and just sort of tailed off. Pete said this filly is getting back to herself.”

 

Mel Gilbert’s Hoosier Cadillac and Dan Shetler took command in the stretch and withstood a late challenge by favorite ABC Mercedes to win the $90,000 ISS final for stallion and gelding trotters. The Ripken’s Victory seven year old stopped the clock in 1:54.1 for trainer Sally Gilbert. Blowlowsanta and Jason Dillander were third. A 23-time winner, Hoosier Cadillac’s bankroll now stands in excess of $260,000.

 

Other favorites that survived a highly-competitive Indiana Summer Championships program include J Rs Star. The New And Notable sophomore was tabbed the favorite in the $180,000 ISS final for three-year-old filly trotters and went on to win by nearly three lengths in a time of 1:58. Steel Away was a distant second while Rosemary’s Secret finished third. J Rs Star is owned and trained by Verlin Yoder, and was driven by Jay Cross.

 

“Jay did a heck of a job with her all season,” Yoder commented. “He was able to build her confidence up. She’s enjoying what she’s doing.”

 

Already a winner of the $150,000 final at Hoosier Park in July, the victory pushed the filly’s career earnings to just under $246,000. (Indiana Downs)