Fireball Freddy and Jordan Ross shot to victory in Mini Series action at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Thursday, Sept. 8. The gelding also became the fastest foal so far from a very limited crop of two-year-olds this year by Let’s Drink on It with the 1:56.1 mile.
Fireball Freddy and Jordan Ross rally home for the Mini Series win Thursday, Sept. 8 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Photo by Dean Gillette
Fireball Freddy started from the center of the track but showed no early speed as American Cactus and Odell Cross moved out for the early lead, setting fractions of :27.0 and :58.2. By the three-quarter mile marker, Always a Way and LeWayne Miller took over to lead the field into the stretch with the outer flow led by Real Thing and Joey Putnam. Fireball Freddy was third over coming into the stretch.
In the lane, Fireball Freddy moved to the outside and began to go to work, pacing home in :27.4 for the win by three and a quarter lengths. K Man Jack and Michael Knicley came rolling home from the back to finish second as the longest shot on the board. American Cactus was a neck back to finish third.
Fireball Freddy paid $7.00 for the win. The Let’s Drink on It freshman earned his first win in his sixth start for trainer Zach Miller. The William Schwartz-bred gelding is owned by Who Dey Racing Stable, Ken Fraley, Gary Loy and Ed Olwine.
Fireball Freddy was only one of three foals by Let’s Drink on It that sold at public auction. He was the highest priced of the trio, bringing $7,000 at the Blooded Horse Sale last August. All three foals sold at the Blooded Horse Sale. He is the first foal out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Divine’s Delight, who took a mark of 1:57.4 during her racing career.
Fireball Freddy joins the filly Hvnsaplaceonearth as the only two winners so far by Let’s Drink on It. There are only 10 foals registered by the Art Official stallion from the two-year-old class this year. Of those 10, seven have raced with four showing times of under 1:56.0, including Fireball Freddy. Other foals that have paced under 1:56.0, in addition to Hvnsaplaceonearth, include Dr Kristina, Sneak a Drink, and Busch Latte.
Let’s Drink on It was campaigned by the Seekman Stable during his racing career. He won 33 races over the span of five seasons and earned more than $850,000. He retired at the age of six in 2017 with his career best time of 1:48.3 taken at both Harrah’s Hoosier Park and The Meadowlands and four and three, respectively. Each year he raced, he won multiple races and took marks of under 1:52 with three of those years dipping under the 1:50 time barrier. His final year of racing saw 10 trips to the winner’s circle with his best time of 1:49.2 taken at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.