Three former Indiana champions faced off in the $15,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace Saturday, July 18 and it was a battle to the wire with Rockin Nola and Joey Putnam picking up the win. The four-year-old mare earned the win in a time of 1:50.2.
Rockin Nola and Joey Putnam scoot by for the win in the $15,000 Fillies & Mares Open Pace Sat. July 18 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Photo by Dean Gillette
Starting from post four as the favorite of the field, Rockin Nola slid over to the inside path as Rockin Serena and Peter Wrenn grabbed the first quarter call in :26.4. Shards Halo N and LeWayne Miller moved to the front down the backside and set middle fractions of :55.0 and 1:23.2. In the stretch, Rockin Nola was in full stride and grabbed the lead, pacing home in :25.4 for the win. Rockin Serena maintained ground for second over It’s Time for Fun and Ricky Macomber Jr., who rounded out the Indiana champion trifecta.
Rockin Nola is owned by JP Racing and Suttons Bay Racing. Mahlon Lambright serves as the breeder of the Rockin Image mare, who is now three for four in 2020. Joe Putnam trains the mare, who matched her career best time of 1:49.4 earlier this year. With 14 wins in 31 career starts, Rockin Nola now has in excess of $450,000 in career earnings.
The Saturday program at Harrah’s Hoosier Park also included two divisions of Indiana Sires Stakes action. Odds On Osiris was a winner in the first division for the husband wife team of Peter and Melanie Wrenn. A gate to wire effort brought the three-year-old son of Rockin Image home a winner by one and one-half lengths in 1:50.3, a final panel in :26.2. Roll With Time and LeWayne Miller finished second followed by Clever Character and Dale Hiteman for third.
The time of 1:50.3 is a new career best for Odds On Osiris, who is owned by Odds on Racing. The sophomore now has in excess of $366,000 in career earnings.
The other division of Indiana Sires Stakes action went to Caribbean Escape, driven by John DeLong. The Bring on the Beach colt came from off the pace, timing the finish just right for the win by a neck over Northern Cadillac and Joey Putnam. Family Recipe and LeWayne Miller rounded out the trifecta.
Caribbean Escape is trained by Dean Glispie and owned by Glispie, Barbara Schlagetter and Gail Potter. He now has two wins in five starts for 2020 and earned a new career best earlier this season in 1:50.0.