Wigwam Baby wins top trot at Hoosier Park

Wigwam Baby, under the direction of driver Mark O’Mara, proved to be back to winning form in her first start of 2009 Wednesday, March 25. The six-year-old daughter of Padre Hanover won the $22,000 Fillies and Mares Open Invitational Trot in a time of 1:57.2, marking her 20th career win.

 Glide Sally Glide and Doug Rideout jumped out for the first call, but it was ultimately Wigwam Baby and O’Mara who were in control of the front end by the quarter mile marker in :28.4. Once settled on the lead, Wigwam Baby was untouched, passing by fractions of :58.2 and 1:27.4. In the stretch, she continued her momentum as Glide Sally Glide made one last attempt to get the lead. However, Wigwam Baby held tough to win the race by a neck over Glide Sally Glide. Dynamite Diva, who sat last the entire trip for Peter Wrenn, rallied hard in the lane to finish third.

Wigwam Baby paid $19.40, $6.40, and $3.80 across the board for her efforts. She is trained by Robert Wagler and now has more than $225,000 in career earnings for owner Don Swartzentruber of Loogootee, Ind. The win was the second on the card for both O’Mara and Wagler. O’Mara won the seventh race behind Brooke Nickells’ Me and My Baby. Wagler also scored a win with Yourcomindown in the second race.

In the other feature of the evening, I Y Q and driver Walter Haynes Jr. soared to victory in the $24,000 Fillies and Mares Open Invitational Handicap Pace. The four-year-old daughter of Big Tom used an opposite strategy from Wigwam Baby, coming from off the pace for the victory.

Trained by Trenton Watson, I Y Q followed the outside flow around the final turn for a shot at the title. She paced home in :27.1 for the victory in a time of 1:53.4. The victory was her fourth of the season in eight outings. I Y Q now has more than $65,000 in career earnings for Watson and his mother, Brenda, who both own the mare. Shipping in from the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Fairfield, Ill., I Y Q now has 10 career wins in 29 outings.

Following in the steps of driver Andy Shetler, who turned in four wins on the season opener Tues., March 24, Peter Wrenn grabbed four wins on the 12-race program. Wrenn began his quest in race one behind a horse from his barn, Amarillo Sky, followed by a win with The Mame Event for trainer Scott Cox in race four. Wrenn also had victories behind the Rick Redder-trained Sayo Hanover in race nine and A Golden Rose for trainer Ron Otto in race 11.  Other drivers with multiple trips to the winner’s circle included Walter Haynes Jr. with a driving double for the night.(Hoosier Park)

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