ANDERSON, Ind.-September 22, 2017 – On Friday evening (Sept. 22) the majority of the harness racing fans at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino sought the cooler confines of the great indoors, but braved the humid conditions to witness an overall track record performance by world and Indiana champion Homicide Hunter. The 5-year-old gelding sailed by fellow champion Hannelore Hanover in deep stretch and held off the late bid of another familiar colleague in track record holder Natural Herbie to score in the $240,000 Centaur Trotting Classic in 1:51.2 to complete an Indiana-bred trifecta in the event, which was one of seven on the Grand Circuit contests on the card.
"I am very excited about the driving him here in the Breeders Crown," said pilot Brett Miller. "I've only driven him three times, but since he's been here it's like he knows where he is and that he is home; he also loves the track. He is such a well-mannered horse and that is what makes him what he is. Nine out of 10 of the great horses you drive are intelligent and if they don't have that they generally never become very good; this horse has that and much more."
Another track record holder over this Anderson oval in I Know My Chip (Sam Widger), led the extremely talented field of 10 through the first quarter mile in a swift :26.1 with world champion JL Cruze (David Miller) right behind him as Hannelore Hanover was content to track this duo in third until shortly after the tote board flashed the time of :54.3 for the half-mile. As the final turn to the homestretch loomed, Yannick Gingras pulled the 5-year-old mare and she responded with vigor to take the lead.
As Hannelore Hanover made her move, Homicide Hunter and Miller simply employed her cover to enter second place at the top of the lane. The mare dug deep in reply to Homicide Hunter's advance, yet the gelding's strides appeared to lengthen as he drew on even terms then trotted past his rival.
Meanwhile Natural Herbie (Verlin Yoder) was making his own bid for the victory with an extremely strong move on the outside, but it was too little too late.
Owned by Crawford Farms, Homicide Hunter is trained by Chris Oakes. The triumph in the Centaur Trotting Classic improves his record to a sterling 57-30-6-7 and makes him the sport's newest millionaire.
The Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes
Not to be outdone by her more seasoned and mature elderstatesman, Basquiat (Gingras) demolished the track record for 2-year-old trotting fillies just recently set by Oh So Easy when she tripped the teletimer earlier in the evening in 1:53.4 in the $240,000 race. The time was nearly a full second faster than the previous standard.
Trained by Jimmy Takter and competing as a homebred for Order By Stable, the daughter of Cantab Hall-Thatsnotmyname was not hindered by drawing post nine in the field of 10 as she trotted comfortably in third for the first quarter mile, which was timed in :27, before advancing to second behind leader Meadow Brook Grace (Trace Tetrick) just before the :56.2 half-mile.
The positions of the top two remained unchanged through three-quarters in 1:25 but when Gingras gave his filly her cue to go after the final turn, Basquiat responded in kind. The filly strode past the pacesetter with ease and defeated a hard-closing Custom Cantab (Peter Wrenn) by a measured length. Hey Blondie (Andrew McCarthy) was third. Basquiat's record now stands at 7-5-2.
The Moni Maker
Although she did not establish a new track record like her counterparts, Sunshine Delight (Brett Miller) did equal a facility mark with a 1:53.1 victory by two lengths in the $160,000 event.
In a race where the lead was inherited by three of the seven contestants in the race, Sunshine Delight (post five) was placed in sixth position for until after the toteboard recorded a time of :57.1 for the half-mile. That is when Miller urged his filly to advance and by the top of the stretch she had a head advantage over Treviso (Charlie Norris, post two). From there on in, it was all Sunshine Delight and daughter of Credit Winner-On The Bright Side set a new lifetime mark of 1:53.1.
Trained by Staffan Lind, the filly is owned by James Wilhite Jr. and it is her second win of the year from 11 trips to the post.
"She has had some very tough posts, like in the Hambletonian Oaks, but she has always tried her best and raced well," Miller said. "She is a very good filly, but she's had some bad luck. It's great to see her finally win one of these tonight."
Sunshine Delight was followed home by Future Secured (Gingras), who is a full-sister to Basquiat, and Treviso.
Live racing continues at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, September 24 with a 12-race card. With a daily post time of 6:30 p.m., live racing at Hoosier Park will follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule and be conducted through November 17. The 24th season of live harness racing is highlighted by the 34th edition of the Breeders Crown, harness racing's championship event valued at $6 million, on Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28. For more information on the upcoming entertainment and live racing schedule, please visit www.hoosierpark.com .
Story By: Kim French, for Hoosier Park Racing & Casino