Bucchero, Jersey Justice, Bibbidibobbidi Boo and Peyton’s Pass Win $100K Indiana-bred Stakes at Indiana Grand

Bucchero (Photo by Linscott Photography)

Bucchero is back in $100,000 Brickyard Stakes

After traveling to various tracks for stakes action, Indiana’s top older male returned to defend his title in the 21st running of the $100,000 Brickyard Stakes Wed. Sept. 13 at Indiana Grand. The flashy chestnut horse, piloted by Fernando De La Cruz, posted a time of 1:09.36 to earn his eighth career trip to the winner’s circle.

Starting from the extreme outside post 12 in the lineup, Bucchero’s white blaze was not immediately detected as Mr Manning and DeShawn Parker opened up for the early lead in the six-furlong race. It took a while for Bucchero to move up into contention, but that happened by the time the field had hit the only turn of the race.

As the duo straightened out for the stretch drive, it appeared that Bucchero was poised to blow right by Mr Manning, but he had other intentions. Mr Manning dug in gamely to make Bucchero fight for the lead, a position he did not secure until late in the race. But once he had cleared, the five-year-old son of Kantharos was strong, posting a one-length win over Mr. Manning for second. Supreme Justice and Marcelino Pedroza rallied up nicely to finish third.

Bucchero, the favorite of the race, paid $4.40, $3.00 and $2.60 across the board. His win in the Brickyard marked his fourth stakes win at Indiana Grand and increased his career earnings to more than $518,000. Purchased for $43,000 from the Ocala Breeders Sale in 2014, Bucchero has proven to be an outstanding purchase for Harlan Malter’s Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and trainer Tim Glyshaw.

“This is the third year that we have come out for his stakes races at Indiana Grand,” said Malter, who was accompanied to Indiana from his home base in California by his wife and baby. “Our target is to run here every year. I’m not sure he (Bucchero) had it his way today, but he finds a way to win.”

Bucchero is known for his quick speed from the starting gate. That quickness was missing in the first few strides of the Brickyard.

“It looked like he didn’t break as sharp as he normally does,” said Glyshaw. “Mr. Manning has been tough all year on the lead and I was just grateful that he (Bucchero) was able to run him down from as far back as he was. We may contemplate a race at Keeneland for his next start, but we are pointing him to the To Much Coffee, a race he’s won the past two years.”

The $150,000-guaranteed To Much Coffee will be one of the featured stakes during closing week of the 2017 racing season at Indiana Grand. The stakes race will be joined by the $150,000-guaranteed Frances Slocum on the Wednesday, Oct. 25 racing program.

Jersey Justice (Photo by Linscott Photography)

Jersey Justice wins $100,000 Hillsdale Stakes

Jersey Justice and DeShawn Parker were a bit of a surprise in a strong field of two-year-old Indiana breds vying for the title in the 17th running of the $100,000-added Hillsdale Stakes. The duo covered the six-furlong race in a time of 1:12.07 to take home the title for Owner Maggi Moss and Trainer Tom Amoss.

Starting from post four, Jersey Justice broke well from the starting gate but was no match for the quick speed of race favorite Its Just Fate and Rodney Prescott, who got the first call. Express Win and Jon Court rallied up along the inside to also get an early advantage with Jersey Justice sitting right in between horses down the backstretch. Once the field got into the turn, Jersey Justice and Its Just Fate continued to battle and found themselves all alone at the top of the stretch before Jersey Justice broke away and got a several length advantage, making it hard for the late closers to catch him. Jersey Justice rallied home to a two and one-half length win over Buck Dynasty and Malcolm Franklin, who proved to be the fastest from the back of the pack for second. Mo Money and Alex Contreras also closed in well to complete a longshot trifecta in the Hillsdale Stakes.

Jersey Justice was the third choice on the board, paying $18.40, $7.80 and $9.40 across the board for his win. The Jersey Town colt was a $10,000 purchase last fall from the Keeneland Yearling sales by Moss and has already brought in more than $83,000 in purse earnings this year.

“This colt was really good, he really did everything right today,” said Parker, who has more than 5,200 career wins to his credit. “Going down the backside when the outside horse came up on him (Its Just Fate) he wanted to take off a little and I had to ease him back just a little, but he did everything that was asked of him. I had never ridden him before and Tom (Amoss) told me to kick him out of there and see how he would be. They thought last time he might have gotten a little tired but he didn’t show that today. I actually had the opportunity to get on him the other morning. I just appreciate the opportunity that Tom (Amoss) and Maggi Moss gave me today to ride him.”

Amoss, a five-time leading trainer at Indiana Grand, has established all types of track records in the training category over the past four years. His record setting season of 2013 brought in 81 winners and purses in excess of $1.5 million. Amoss is once again among the top five trainers in the standings for 2017.

Parker is spending his first season on the Indiana circuit this year and recently shot up to the lead in the jockey standings. His win aboard Jersey Justice was his second on the day, bringing his tally to 80 wins. He also scooted over the $2 million mark in purse earnings, the first and only jockey to hit that mark this season at Indiana Grand.

Bibbidibobbidi Boo (Photo by Linscott Photography)

Bibbidibobbidi Boo wins $100,000 City of Anderson

Each year, trainers hope their new crop of prospects will carry on the winning tradition of the stable. Trainer Mike Lauer appears to have just the horse to carry that hope out as Bibbidibobbidi Boo and Marcelino Pedroza powered under the wire to win the $100,000-added City of Anderson Stakes Wed. Sept. 13 at Indiana Grand.

Starting from post nine in the 12-horse field of freshman fillies, Bibbidibobbidi Boo left the gate in a flash, claiming the top spot before others could get their momentum going in the six furlong sprint. Bibbidibobbidi Boo was quickly joined on the outside by Shesmischievous and Tommy Pompell while Ever Wonder and Eddie Perez shot up the inside to challenge. Bibbidibobbidi Boo and Ever Wonder broke away from the rest of the field and stayed together like a team heading into the only turn of the race run over a track listed as fast during the light rain in the area. Time of the sprint was 1:11.81 after a :21.54 opening quarter.

In the stretch, neither filly was giving in as the duo battled to shake loose from the other one. However, midway through the stretch, it was Bibbidibobbidi Boo that got the edge and strode away from her opponents to win by two and one-quarter lengths. Regal Wildcat and Albin Jimenez closed in from the back of the pack to finish second over Ever Wonder, who held steady along the inside for third.

Despite her six and three-quarter length win in her only outing heading into the 17th running of the City of Anderson Stakes, Bibbidibobbidi Boo was the fifth choice of the field, paying $18.00, $8.60 and $5.00 across the board. In just two starts, the daughter of Into Mischief has amassed more than $79,000 in purse earnings for owner Penny Lauer and trainer Mike Lauer. The Lauers raised Bibbidibobbidi Boo from their already successful brood mare Hush U Dreamer, who is also the dam of Dreamin Big, one of the most successful Indiana bred females ever with earnings in excess of $602,000.

“This filly (Bibbidibobbidi Boo) has always shown a lot of talent,” said Lauer, who is Indiana’s all-time leading stakes winning trainer. “She’s quick and gets out of there fast. Marcelino (Pedroza) told me she broke so sharp today that he wasn’t going back. I was a little scared when I saw the time pop up for the first quarter, but it didn’t affect her at all.”

Pedroza has had an outstanding month. The Panamanian jockey has won more than 25 races to catapult up the standings. He is currently in second place in the leading jockey standings with his 77th win recorded aboard Bibbidibobbidi Boo.

Peyton’s Pass (Photo by Linscott Photography)

Peyton’s Pass speedy in 23rd running of the $100,000 Merrillville Stakes

Peyton’s Pass showed how quickness pays off as she rallied to a nearly gate to wire victory in the 23rd running of the $100,000-added Merrillville Stakes at Indiana Grand Wed. Sept. 13. The race joins the Indiana Derby as the oldest stakes race in the history of pari-mutuel Thoroughbred racing in the state of Indiana. It was part of the lineup during the inaugural season at Hoosier Park in 1995 and was moved to Indiana Grand in 2013 when the track went to all Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing.

Peyton’s Pass was ready to go as the Steve Peterman starting gate sprung open, the four-year-old daughter of Pass Rush busted out of the gate on top and looked powerful on the inside as she was joined by Ourcinnamonansugar and Fernando De La Cruz on the outside for the race down the backstretch. Whistle Stop and Marcelino Pedroza were tracking the progress of the top two throughout the race and when the field turned for home, they were ready to pounce.

In the stretch, several opponents tried their best to catch Peyton’s Pass but she was strong through the wire, winning by four lengths in a time of 1:10.36. Hay Little Bit and Alex Contreras rallied from the back of the eight horse field to finish second, less than a length ahead of Whistle Stop for third.

“We used some early speed and once we got out of there (the gate), I let him take it from there,” said Perez, who has more than 2,500 career wins. “I expected to get the lead early. When you have the one hole, you gotta go. I think her last race helped her. She ran good today. I want to thank Bob (Gorham) and the connections for letting me ride her this year.”

Peyton’s Pass was a bit of a surprise at the windows, paying $13.40, $6.60 and $5.00 across the board. The win in the Merrillville Stakes was her second career stakes win at Indiana Grand, pushing her career earnings to more than $242,000 for Henry Mast’s Mast Thoroughbreds LLC. Peyton’s Pass is now six for 12 lifetime and has only missed hitting the board twice in her career.

“We bought this filly privately from Crystal Chapple,” said Gorham. “We’ve had several horses from her and they have all done well for us. She has been solid through her two, three and four-year-old year for us. She had a chip removed during the last half of her three-year-old year but it was nothing major.”

Peyton’s Pass returned to action this year and has only finished back of second once, which was her last start, a fifth place finish in the Shelby County Stakes. She has been very consistent throughout her career for her connections, who have long term plans for her after the racetrack.

“I’m not sure if we will run her or breed her next year,” added Gorham. “Her next career will be as a brood mare and we are really anxious to start raising babies with her. She is a great brood mare prospect and we like the way she’s built to pass that onto her babies.”

(from Indiana Grand news release)