She only had one career start to prep her for the first round of Indiana Sires Stakes (ISS) Wednesday, July 12 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. But that is all Teelatini needed to score a new lifetime mark and her first win in 1:53.1.
Big strided Teelatini rallies home with a big final quarter to score her first win at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Wednesday, June 12. Photo by Dean Gillette
Starting from post four, Teelatini and John DeLong left the gate and got away in mid pack as heavily favored McKira and Joey Putnam reached the first quarter first in :27.2. From there, McKira held strong on the end, posting middle fractions of :56.2 and 1:25.1 before being approached by Forever Farah and Kyle Wilfong first up followed by a group of challengers. Teelatini was part of the outer flow looking to attack. DeLong asked the freshman pacing filly for more speed, and she delivered, pacing home in :26.3 for the win by one-half length. Topville Ohsolucky and Marvin Luna for second over McKira for third.
Teelatini paid $11.00 for the win. The Rockin Image youngster is owned by William and Wm. Patrick DeLong. Roger Welch trains for the DeLong family, who bred the filly. She is the first foal from the Sweet Lou mare and has a yearling full brother named Space Hog and an unnamed filly, a full sister, who is a yearling this year.
Earlier in the night, All JK and Trace Tetrick kept their record perfect with a win in the first round of Indiana Sires Stakes action. The freshman pacing filly got on the front lead from the five hole and never looked back, scoring the win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:51.3. Lets Go Endofaera and John DeLong finished second over Sunny Money and LeWayne Miller to make it a JK Endofanera trifecta.
All JK was the favorite of the field, paying $3.40 for the win. The freshman filly is owned by Country Club Acres Inc., Joe Sbrocco, Milton Leeman, and Tonya Nichol. Brian Brown trains the Rockin Image filly, who earned a new lifetime mark in the first round of the ISS and remains two for two in her brief career.
All JK was a $36,000 purchase from the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale last fall. Sunny Money was a purchase from the Midwest Mixed Sale for $14,000.