With Harrah’s Hoosier Park moving into their final five weeks of racing and dropping Tuesday nights, several Indiana sired horses have ventured to Ohio. Three Indiana winners were on the Tuesday card, including Tony N Rock and Austin Hanners in the conditioned pace with a purse of $6,000.
Tony N Rock and Austin Hanners rallied right past opponents for their first win of 2023 on Halloween Night at Dayton Raceway.
Tony N Rock started from post six and didn’t even bother with trying to get into the mix early. Horses were three wide in two sets of three trying for the lead. Tony N Rock went to the back and stayed out of the early mayhem as Motor City Man and Jeremy Smith finally claimed the top spot utilizing their post one starting position. Motor City Man kept on motoring to the half, but the flow of traffic had already formed on the outside. Tony N Rock decided they would just go to the outside too. However, when the outer flow stalled just before the three-quarters in 1:27.3, Tony N Rock flipped three wide and was even pushed four wide at times in the final turn.
Traveling widest of all, Tony N Rock kept in pursuit of the top spot and was able to get by all of his opponents in the stretch to win by one length in 1:58.0, a final quarter in :29.4 through the chilly temperatures. Lou’s Delight and Kayne Kauffman finished second in the four-way photo over Bazooka Hanover and Tyler Smith for third.
Tony N Rock had his ears up when he came back to the winner’s circle. He was a little hard for Hanners to pull up as he was greeted by his groom. He paid $16.20 for the win. The Rockin Image four-year-old is owned by Brian Boroff and trained by William Boroff of Ohio. Michael Wilt bred the gelding in Missouri. He earned his first win of 2023 in his 12th start this year. His career best time of 1:52.1 was taken at two at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Tony N Rock started off in the Erv Miller barn at Pocono Downs before venturing to Indiana. He competed in the Fox Stake and Indiana Sires Stakes at two before dropping in a claimer at three and acquired by Rick Plano. He has been with the Boroff barn since August.
Tony N Rock, selling under the name Zippin Zane, was the second highest priced yearling by Rockin Image in the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale. Fetching a price of $50,000 through the sales ring, he is out of the near 100 percent producing mare Pademonious, who was a champion during her racing days in Illinois. The mare had a mark of 1:51.2 with $258,000 on her card before heading to the brood mare ranks. She has two with $100,000-plus earnings now, including Rock N Tony, a full brother to Tony N Rock with a mark of 1:50.2 and more than $828,000 in earnings and still racing.
In the other division of the conditioned pace, it was Indiana sired Shady Deal who took home the win. The eight-year-old son of Shadyshark Hanover rallied first up to a two-length win in 1:55.4 for Jeremy Smith. Dontneedanexcuse N and Trevor Smith finished second over Mystic Waze and Chris Page for third.
Shady Deal paid $9.00. He is owned by Tony Kinch and trained by Tony Rose. Paul Webb bred the veteran racehorse.