With the Indiana Sires Stakes Championships now completed, several consolations are taking place to close out the year. The Indiana Sires Stakes Consolation for two-year-old fillies was held Thursday, Oct. 21 with Best Place to Be and John DeLong scoring a dominant victory in the $25,000 event.
Best Place to Be and John DeLong scored an impressive victory in the Indiana Sires Stakes consolation for two-year-old filly pacers. Photo by Dean Gillette
Best Place to Be got away in mid pack as Dancin Image and Sam Widger set early fractions of :26.1 and :54.0. Best Place to Be pulled out behind She’s Magical and Hannah Miller heading around the final turn to get cover to the stretch.
Best Place to Be hit her best stride midway through the lane, striding home to a two and three-quarter length advantage in 1:52.2, a final panel in :28.1. Cats Image and Trace Tetrick moved up for second over Shakeanera and Matt Krueger held steady for third.
Best Place to Be was the favorite of the field, paying $4.00. The Always a Virgin freshman is a home bred, owned by breeders William Rufenacht and DM Stables LLC of Ohio. Mike Roth trains the filly, who now has three career wins. The mile in the consolation final was a new career best time for Best Place to Be, who now has in excess of $44,000 in earnings.
Horsemen and Horsewomen will head to the Indiana State Fairgrounds Friday, Oct. 22 for the first day of the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale. The sale will continue through Saturday, Oct. 23, featuring a total of 416 cataloged for the event. The sale begins at 10 a.m. both days.