The ISFC returned to Converse this week for round two with lightning fast times. Take your Pick and Clifton Bell rolled to an eight and three-quarter length win in 1:58.1 for her record setting effort. Trained by Curtis Rice, the JK Endofanera filly was fresh off a win the week before at Converse to start off her racing career at two for two for owner Gregory Riley of Mississippi. Broekhuis Stables and Ernie Hochstetler bred the fast filly from the third crop of JK Endofanera.
Take Your Pick and trainer Curtis Rice are shown with their sash to signify their track record performance at Converse Wednesday, June 8. Photo by Ellen Taylor
Not to be outdone, although it wasn’t a track record, Master Splinter and Terry Skinner nearly placed their names in the record books. The duo rallied to a nine and one-half length win in 1:58.4, just four-tenths of a second off the track record at Converse for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Also trained by Skinner, the Always A Virgin colt is owned by Ar’Tarrius Fleming of Mississippi. It was his career debut in the mile. The freshman colt and gelding pacing record is held by Luckychris and Clifton Bell, who set the mark last year in June.
Shifting to the three-year-old trotting ranks, Summit City Sonny and Jordan Ross sat behind Hand Dover Dan after he crossed over to the lead after the quarter in :30.0. In the stretch, Summit City Sonny pulled out and trotted home in :29.4, two and one-half lengths ahead of Hand Dover Dan and Doug Rideout for the new track record for sophomore trotting colts. Fly Like A Plane and Bradley Ferguson finished third.
Trained by Byron Hooley, Summit City Sonny is owned by Summit Pacing Acres and was bred by Freeman Bontrager. He was making his fifth start of 2022 and his career best time remains at 1:57.0 taken as a two-year-old at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Special sashes were presented to both Take Your Pick and Summit City Sonny for their track record performances.
The ISFC will continue through July and into August before placing the top contenders in each category in the $200,000 Governor’s Cup Championships at the Indiana State Fair. The “Quest for the Governor’s Cup” will make 13 total stops to determine the finalists for the titles Thursday, Aug. 11.