Sammy's one cool winner at Hoosier Park

Sammy’s Cool Win kept his 2010 undefeated streak alive Sunday, winning the final race of the day at Hoosier Park in a new career-best time of 1:52.1. Guided by Kyle Ater, the 4-year-old son of Nobleland Sam cruised under the wire easily to win against a field of 10 conditioned pacers.

 

Starting from post six, Sammy’s Cool Win rallied out from behind the gate and reached the top spot just after the quarter-mile marker in a time of :26.2. From that point on, he was untouchable as he continued to keep the tempo lively around Hoosier Park’s seven-eighths mile oval.

 

In the stretch, the only horse that had a shot to catch Sammy’s Cool Win was I’m Confident with driver Peter Wrenn. The duo tried their best to close in on the leaders, but could only get within 5 1/4 lengths to Sammy’s Cool Win at the wire, settling for second. San Summerfield and Eric Goodell were back several lengths for third.

 

Owned by Esther Crownover of McArthur, Ohio, Sammy’s Cool Win is now a perfect three for three in 2010 and pushed his career bankroll to more than $50,000. Earl Owings trains the gelding, who won seven of 15 starts as a 2 year old.

 

"I remembered this horse (Sammy’s Cool Win) as a 2 year old and knew he was a nice colt,” said Ater. “He didn’t race last year at all due to some sort of lameness problem. This is the first time I had ever driven him, but I could tell from his line at Lebanon he had come back pretty strong. Earl (Owings) told me he was a little lazy and to keep his attention. He’s still green, but he’s definitely a nice horse.”

 

Owings, who has had stock for more than 30 years in a partnership with Crownover, has produced numerous champions since the 1980’s. Included on the impressive roster of graduates for the partnership is Schimitar, the standout Ohio trotter that earned 51 wins in 81 career starts and earnings in excess of $350,000. Schimitar went on to find success as a sire in Ohio, producing top-notch racehorses Rattlesnake Jake, Six Point, and Cyrano De Bergerac. 

 

“I’ve driven for Earl (Owings) for a long time and he knows my family well,” said Ater. “When Earl brings one to the races, they are usually ready to roll. He has his own farm track down in southern Ohio and has about 18 in training right now. Because this horse is four, he doesn’t really have any options for stakes in Ohio, so he will probably race him over here at Hoosier Park as much as he can.”

 

Ater is also racing at Hoosier Park this season as much as he can. This year marks the first time that the 33-year-old horseman has been stabled at Hoosier Park. A longtime staple on the Ohio circuit, the Ater family has fared well at Scioto Downs, especially with younger stakes horses. Ater’s father, Dan, has nearly 1,700 career wins and is moving into his third year as a U.S. Trotting Association director. He kept the majority of the horses at their farm track in Southern Ohio while the younger Ater rotates the older raceway horses in and out to race at Hoosier Park during the 2010 season.

 

In other Sunday afternoon racing news, oldtimer Sunset Celebration brought home a new lifetime mark in the claiming ranks for owner Aaron Merriman and trainer Barry Langley. Guided by Hoosier Park’s leading driver Peter Wrenn, the 12-year-old gelding stopped the timer in 1:53, a neck in front of Empire State and Chris Page. Sunset Celebration now has 43 career wins and is nearing the $200,000 mark in career earnings.

 

Sunset Celebration will have another opportunity to surpass the $200,000 mark Friday, May 14. The chestnut Catch A Flight gelding is back in to go in the third race and will start from post six. (Hoosier Park)