Lonestar Legend dominates Fox Stake

Lonestar Legend put on a powerful display Saturday afternoon at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to capture the $48,700 Fox Stake for freshman colt pacers in 1:52.3. Driven by Mark O’Mara, the Western Hanover colt received every call, winning by 13 lengths for trainer Don Swick. The winning time established a new lifetime mark.

“This was a very nice race for him,” Swick said afterward. “He put in a good last half and a strong final quarter. We were able to get a fast race into him. He should grow after this race.”

O’Mara and Lonestar Legend lined up on the outside in the short field of five. When the gate folded the veteran driver eased his colt out to the lead. Making his fourth career start, Lonestar Legend commanded the field through fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:24.2 before opening up in the stretch. Handsome Prince finished a distant second for Don Irvine Jr. and Art Official was third.

“I had one come at me on the backside (Art Official),” O’Mara explained. “I felt like he had plenty in the tank so I got after him a little. I thought it was too late at that point to let one go. In the stretch I chased him a little to make sure he kept a big head of steam.”

Owned by Royal Wire Products, Inc. of North Royalton, Ohio and United Process Control Company of Somerville, N.J., Lonestar Legend has now won three times. His lone blemish is a third-place effort in Reynolds Stakes action at Pocono Downs. A $100,000 purchase as a yearling, the colt could be headed north of the border later this summer.

“We’d like to take him to Canada for the Metro,” Swick added.

Booze Cruzin equals track record

As a freshman Booze Cruzin won once in 14 starts; the lone win came in a Fox Stake division. Saturday the Art’s Conquest gelding again showed his affinity for the State Fair oval by equaling the track record with a 1:51.2 performance in a $36,500 division of the Horseman Stake. Sam Widger sat behind the pacer for trainer Joe Seekman.

“He’s a heck of a nice three year old,” Seekman commented. “He’s really kicked in during his sophomore campaign. We’re going to let the horse make the call as to how far he goes.”

Owned and bred by Broekhuis Stables LLC of Holland, Mich., Booze Cruzin won his third race in four starts with Widger in the sulky. The gelding entered Saturday’s contest off a second-place effort in the Review Stake at Springfield.

“I made up my mind to leave out of there and cut the mile,” Widger said. “He likes the front. He balls right up and goes a long way on the front. I had no idea on the track record.”

The victory pushed Booze Cruzin’s seasonal earnings over the $100,000 plateau. The winning time equaled the fastest mark over the oval for a pacer also shared by Fake Left (1992) and In The Stirrups (1994).

LaChance and Gurfein team for four wins

Grand Circuit day at the State Fairgrounds belonged to Mike LaChance. The veteran reinsman collected five wins on the 11-race program, four coming with Ron Gurfein-trained horses. LaChance and Gurfein teamed to sweep both divisions of the Hoosier Stake for freshman trotters and the Horseman Stake for three year olds.

“It was a good day,” LaChance admitted. “I had all the best horses, but sometimes things go wrong. Nothing went wrong today.”

LaChance’s first win on the program came in the $23,600 Hoosier Stake for colt trotters. Sitting behind Yankee Glide colt Deliberate the driver took command racing to the half and kept Kajan Kooker and Richard Stillings at bay by half a length in 1:59.4. It was the second win in four career starts for the colt, co-owned by breeder Brittany Farms with Deliberate Racing.

Valbruna, a $190,000 yearling purchase by Perretti Racing LLC and Black Horse Racing, dominated her $24,350 Hoosier Stake division, winning by 11 lengths in 2:00.4. The Conway Hall freshman finished second in her debut before scoring her first win Saturday.

“I loved her as a yearling,” Gurfein stated. “She’s been perfect. Next she’ll be in the Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes at Indiana Downs.”

After winning the $36,500 Horseman Stake for sophomore trotters with Jimmy Shin (1:56), LaChance and Gurfein added their fourth win on the program in the filly trotting division. Maryanne K, a Yankee Glide three year old owned by Ira Kristel, scored in 1:55.3.

LaChance’s other trip to the winner’s circle came with Three Up Three Down Farm’s Dr McSteamie. The Art’s Conquest colt, trained by Dan Plesac, paced to his second straight victory in the $24,250 Hoosier Stake. It marked Plesac’s first stakes victory as a conditioner.

“This was like my Super Bowl today,” said an ecstatic Plesac. “This was a special day for me. I won my first stake with Mike LaChance driving!”

Grand Circuit notes

Prime Suspect won the $30,308 Horseman Stake for sophomore filly pacers in 1:54.2. Trained and driven by Duke Sugg, the daughter of The Panderosa was one of two fillies entered. Moonlit Flash won a tight photo over Maggi B to claim the $27,540 Hoosier Stake for freshman filly pacers in 1:58. Sam Widger guided the Western Hanover filly for Joe Seekman.

Atomic Hall and Don Irvine Jr. trotted to a 1:59.2 victory in a $29,882 division of the Horseman Stake for two year old trotters. The Self Possessed colt scored his first win for trainer Trond Smedshammer. In the $29,282 second division Celebrity Phantom hit the wire first in 1:59.4. The Broadway Hall gelding is trained by Steffan Lind and was driven by Mark Gingrich.

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