What a career it’s been for Born to Thrive. The nine-year-old Indiana sired trotter has gotten better with age and he scored his 50th career win to kick off the Saturday racing card at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Born to Thrive and Rick Plano earned their 50th career win Saturday, Nov. 12 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The nine-year-old now has more than a half million in earnings. Photo by Dean Gillette
Trainer-Driver Rick Plano put Born to Thrive over to the inside path at the start and was away from the gate in third place as Louzotic and Trace Tetrick bolted out to a large lead heading to the quarter in :28.0. The tempo slowed to the half in :57.2 and the field closed the gap on Louzotic. Born to Thrive was flushed to the outside around the final turn and was in perfect position to pounce once the stretch arrived.
In the stretch, Born to Thrive went to work, trotting home in :29.3 to score the win by two and one quarter lengths in 1:57.0. Loulita and Joey Putnam finished second over Meadowbrook Mark and John DeLong for third.
Born to Thrive was a longshot in the field, paying $17.60 for the win. The Swan for All gelding is owned by Maryann Plano and John Campagnuolo. Victory Hill Farm bred the gelding, who is now 50 for 213 in his career. The win marked his seventh this season. His best time of 1:52.4 was taken last year as an eight-year-old at Pompano Park, where he has always raced off season of Indiana. With Pompano closing, the Plano Stable will have a new routine off season of Harrah’s Hoosier Park and a new routine for Born to Thrive, who recently went over the half-million dollar mark in career earnings.
Later in the card, the $22,000 Open Trot was featured, pitting seven impressive contenders against one another. I Know My Chip and Sam Widger set the tempo with a swift first quarter in :26.4 and continued to lead the way through the half in :56.3. Cassius Lane was out and rolling before the half for Joey Putnam and was wheel to wheel with I Know My Chip at the three-quarters in 1:27.0.
Pick Me Upper and Brandon Bates had picked up cover behind Cassius Lane and in the stretch, got racing room to advance and take over, trotting home in :27.4 over the sloppy track surface for the win in 1:55.1. Cassius Lane finished second over I Know My Chip for third.
Pick Me Upper paid $29.80 for the win. The five-year-old gelding is by Trixton and owned by Brian Carsey. Walter Haynes Jr. trains the Florida bred, who earned his sixth win of 2022 and his 19th overall. He now has more than $220,000 in career earnings for his connections. Pick Me Upper fares well on an off track. In eight starts, he has four wins and has only finished off the board once. His career best time as taken earlier this year at Dayton Raceway in 1:52.1.