Silvershoe Halie and John DeLong stepped right on down the track to score the win in the conditioned claiming event Wednesday, Sept. 27 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Despite the rain, the filly was impressive in the 1:54.3 mile, which was a new lifetime mark.
Silvershoe Halie and John DeLong persevered through the rain Wednesday, Sept. 27 to score a new lifetime mark at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Photo by Dean Gillette
Silvershoe Halie started from post five and used a little early speed to get a spot up close in the early stages, following along behind Cole Did It and Trace Tetrick and Checks On the Beach and Chad Clark through fractions of :28.1 and :58.0. After the half, Silvershoe Halie was out and challenging around the final turn and had driven right on by the top horses at the top of the stretch.
Silvershoe Halie continued her momentum all the way to the wire, winning by two and one-quarter lengths with a final quarter in :27.1. Cole Did It finished second while Whistle Shooter and Jordan Ross moved up late for third.
Silvershoe Halie was the favorite of the field, paying $3.00 for the win. The sophomore daughter of Rockin Image is owned by Rita and Glen Sherretz of Evansville, Ind. Mike Wilson trains the filly, who was bred by Blue Bird Meadows’ Daryl Miller. She sold for $10,000 at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale as a yearling. It was the second win of the season for the filly and her third overall. She has been with her current connections since early July and now has two wins in her last three starts.
Wilson is also a native of Evansville, Ind. The longtime trainer on the Indiana circuit is known for his work and willingness to warm up horses during the races when he’s not racing himself. He has warmed up numerous champions over the years when they ship in to race at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Wilson, who has several brothers also in the business, has been training since the early 1990s.
Later in the card, a sophomore trotter was impressive in her conditioned claiming event as Milliondollardream and Kevin Lambright earned a near gate to wire win. The Swan in a Million filly left the gate for the lead, but was parked on the outside at the quarter in :28.4 before clearing and moving onto the top spot. As she rounded the final turn, she picked up the tempo, trotting home in :28.2 for the win by more than four lengths in 1:57.0. Talladega AS and Trace Tetrick finished second over Virgnes Kenny B and Jack Kieninger Jr. for third.
Milliondollardream paid $14.40 for the win. The filly is trained by Robert Taylor and owned by Taylor Racin LLC and Donnie Taylor. Chapel Ridge Farm bred the filly, who earned her third win of 2023. Her career best time of 1:56.3 was taken earlier this year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Milliondollardream is out of the first crop of Swan in a Million. She was the fourth highest seller for the stallion, bringing $18,000 through the sales ring at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale. She was purchased by the Taylor family.