Indiana sired Innocent Victim lit up the tote board at Northfield Park Tuesday, March 8, scoring a win as the longest shot on the board at odds of 80-1. The veteran racehorse scored the win in 1:56.0 in the $5,000 claimer.
Innocent Victim and Kurt Sugg return to the winner’s circle after stunning the field as the winner at odds of 80-1 Tuesday, March 8.
Starting from post seven, Innocent Victim and Kurt Sugg made no move for the lead early on as Highland Hellion and Billy Davis Jr. left for the lead from the center of the track. He was on top of the field by two lengths at the quarter in :27.3 and continued to keep open lengths between him and the field at the half in :57.1. The outer flow of traffic began to form heading to the three-quarters with Innocent Victim third in line toward the leaders.
By the time the field had reached the stretch, Innocent Victim had moved up for second and began to dig in against Shark Fantasy and Keith Kash Jr. The two horses battled down the stretch with Innocent Victim getting the last call by a half-length for the win over Shark Fantasy. Giuseppe Mollusca and Hunter Myers finished third.
Innocent Victim paid $162.40 for the win. The 12-year-old gelding is owned by Hailey and Vincent Maletz, who acquired him in December. He is trained by Tricia Shepard. Mr. Lynn Wilfong bred the Skydancer Hanover gelding. After being unraced at two, Innocent Victim has been on the track every year through his career. He has 39 wins in 252 starts with more than $300,000 in earnings. His career best time of 1:51.4 was taken as a seven-year-old at The Meadows.