Hoosier Celebrity is stepping into the spotlight in Ohio. The five-year-old Indiana sired gelding is now two for three in 2021 with his latest win at Miami Valley Raceway Wednesday, Jan. 19.
Hoosier Celebrity and Josh Sutton were commanding winners in claiming action at Miami Valley Raceway Wed. Jan. 19. Photo by Conrad Photography
Driven by Josh Sutton, Hoosier Celebrity wasted no time getting to the lead of the $15,000 claiming event. He set fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:24.4 and went untouched as he continued to lead the way into the stretch. A couple of taps from Sutton and Hoosier Celebrity hit another gear and drew away from the field for a four and one-quarter length win in 1:53.2. Highlandbeachycove and Chris Page finished second over Lucifers Legend A and Brett Miller for third, who was claimed out of the race by Frederick Linz.
Hoosier Celebrity paid $8.40 for the win. The Rockin Image gelding is trained by Charlie Stewart and owned by Jack Freeman. Ernie Lambright bred Hoosier Celebrity, who now has 11 wins in 71 starts. His career bankroll is over $100,000 and his career best time was taken as a three-year-old at Dayton in 1:51.2.
Freeman recently took over full ownership of Hoosier Celebrity. After three starts under Stewart, he now has two wins and one third. Freeman is best known as the co-owner of Indiana standout Little Rocket Man but has several others racing and winning races, such as Hoosier Celebrity.
Prior to being owned by Freeman, Hoosier Celebrity raced for several other stables before entering the claiming ranks. He was purchased for $24,000 as a yearling from the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale from a pretty impressive class by Rockin Image that included Odds on Osiris and Priceless, just to name a few. Hoosier Celebrity’s dam, Miss Sparta, took a mark of 1:52.2 herself and in addition to Hoosier Celebrity, she has produced another winner in 1:51.4 in Rainbow Design, a son of Tellitlikeitis. She had a two-year-old this season by JK Endofanera and will have a yearling colt selling this fall by Always A Virgin named Dually Truck.