Trotters featured in Indiana Sire Stakes action

A quartet of Indiana Sires Stakes contests were contested Thursday, July 30 at Indiana Downs. Two $25,000 divisions were carded for sophomore colt and gelding trotters, with another set of $25,000 divisions offered for two-year-old trotting fillies. Driver Jay Cross steered home two winners in stakes action.

 

Cross won the opening race on the card, the first split for freshman fillies, guiding favorite SJ’s Cashreturn to a narrow 2:02 victory. The duo finished a neck in front of Beedlbmb Bluegrass and Jason Dillander. Second choice Hoosier Cheetah was third. The SOS Lunar Eclipse filly is trained by Verlin Yoder and owned by James Yoder. SJ’s Cashreturn is a three-time winner, earning two previous scores on the fair circuit.

 

The faster of the two $25,000 divisions went to Msnaughtybynature and trainer/driver Peter Wrenn, who teamed to win handily in 1:59.2. The Scramble Ranger filly finished four lengths in front, pulling a minor upset over favored Call Me Ching. See The Secret and Sam Widger were a distant third. Msnaughtybynature is owned by Wrenn and The Kales Company LLC of Michigan.

 

Wrenn went on to win four races on the Indiana Downs program.

 

Cross picked up his second win on the program in the first of two $25,000 divisions for sophomore colt trotters. The veteran driver piloted favorite Who’s Unreal, owned and trained by Dennis Putnam, to a one and one-quarter length victory in a time of 1:58.4. Get To Trottin’ followed in second while CW Ted Lunar finished third. The Prague gelding improved his record to four wins from seven starts in 2009, increasing his bankroll to $111,000.

 

Favorite ABCDE and Dan Shetler won the second split with a 1:59.4 clocking. Trained and owned by Don Swartzentruber, the ABC Garland gelding finished a length in front of second-choice Bar One and ABC Cruncher trotted third. It was the third win in six seasonal starts for ABCDE, a winner of more than $58,000 this year.