Hello Sweetie Boy said goodbye to his opponents Monday, Nov. 20 with a win in the evening’s featured $11,100 Open Pace at Hawthorne Racecourse. The Indiana sired gelding pulled off a big upset against the tough He’zzz A Wise Sky.
Hello Sweetie Boy gets by He’zzz A Wise Sky in the final strides of Hawthorne’s Open Pace Monday, Nov. 20.
Hello Sweetie Boy worked out a perfect trip from post three, getting away second behind He’zzz A Wise Sky and Kyle Wilfong at the quarter in :27.4. The pace stayed even through the half and three-quarters in :55.4 and 1:24.0, respectively with little to no action from the trailing horses in the race.
At the head of the lane, Travis Seekman tipped Hello Sweetie Boy to the outside of He’zzz A Wise Sky. It took the length of the entire stretch to get by him but Hello Sweetie Boy got the best of the heavy favorite in the final strides for the win in 1:51.2. He’zzz A Wise Sky finished a neck back in second while Indiana veteran pacer Tookadiveoffdipper and Casey Leonard rallied a little wider in the stretch for third.
Hello Sweetie Boy paid $12.20 for the win. The five-year-old son of Aracache Hanover is owned and trained by Kim Roth. Mary Jeffers and Adele Everett bred the gelding, who earned his seventh win of 2023.
Hello Sweetie Boy began his career at Harrah’s Hoosier Park at two for Roth and was a preliminary winner in Indiana Sires Stakes. He graduated to the Open Pacing ranks later on and has turned into a tough racehorse. He now has 12 wins and more than $125,000 on his card. His career best time was taken earlier this fall at Hawthorne in 1:50.4. He is now the fastest and the richest from his family, who consists of three other winners, including Ladys Party with a mark of 1:52.3 and $122,000 in earnings.
Earlier in the evening, Ponda Adventure won his second straight Open Trot at Hawthorne. Driven by Cordarius Stewart, Ponda Adventure got away second behind Perlucky and Casey Leonard before pulling to the outside around the final turn and moving first up. He took over in the lane and trotted home in :27.1 for the win by one and one-quarter lengths over Gomster and Travis Seekman. Perlucky held on for third in the 1:53.3 mile.
Ponda Adventure was the favorite, paying $2.80 for the win. The four-year-old Swan for All is owned by Engel Stable of Il, Tony Willinger and Jerry Graham. Erv Miller trains the gelding, who was bred by Pond-A-Acres.