Yourwishisgranted and Ricky Macomber Jr. rallied home winners in the co-featured $18,000 Open 2 Friday, April 14 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The duo gained the advantage at the wire in 1:50.4.
Yourwishisgranted and Ricky Macomber Jr. rally home to another win in 2023 for trainer Matt Rheinheimer and owner Ruby Huggins Friday, April 14 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Photo by Dean Gillette
Starting from post four, Yourwishisgranted was the quickest out of the gate to secure the top spot in :27.0 at the quarter. However, Crusher Q and Brandon Bates wanted the lead and rushed out and around to set the tempo at the half in :55.3. This prompted Alwaystellthetrush and Jordan Ross to start the outer flow toward the leaders as Yourwishisgranted sat right in the two-hole, waiting for the stretch.
Once free, Yourwishisgranted kicked it up a notch and rallied home in :26.3 for the comfortable win by one and three-quarter lengths over Crusher Q. Serious Miki and Joey Putnam finished a fast closing third.
Yourwishisgranted paid $7.80 for the win. The four-year-old JK Endofanera gelding is owned by Ruby Huggins and trained by Matt Rheinheimer. Victory Hill Farm bred the gelding, who earned his third win in seven starts for 2023. Overall, the gelding now has eight wins in 42 outings and purse earnings just under the $200,000 mark. His career best time remains at 1:49.4 taken last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
The Friday card also presented another sub 1:50 mile as Goldie’s Legacy and Tyler Smith won the $16,000 Open 3 in 1:49.3. The five-year-old son of Always a Virgin moved out after the half and eased his way up to the leaders, going to battle with Nuclear Dragon and Trace Tetrick in the stretch, fending them off by a half length for the win. Ohoka Chopper H and Atlee Bender finished third.
Goldie’s Legacy paid $5.80 for the win. The true Indiana sired gelding, out of the tough former Indiana Sires Stakes mare Ag-N-Au Bluegrass, is owned by Pollack Racing and Jeff Cullipher. Cullipher handles the training duties of the Kentucky based Dave Yoder-bred horse.
It was the first win of the year for Goldie’s Legacy, who has had a brilliant career to date under the supervision of Cullipher. The tough pacer has 20 career wins in 63 starts with more than $540,000 on his card. His career best time of 1:48.1 was taken last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. He has paced under the 1:50 time barrier consistently over the past three seasons.
Indiana sired horses swept the Opens Friday as General Dolan and Trace Tetrick won the $22,000 Open Handicap. The duo worked out a two-hole trip until the stretch, when they had several lengths to gain on Sectionline Bigry and Brandon Bates. Both horses dug in gamely, but General Dolan was able to get the edge by a half in 1:49.3, a final panel in :26.1 compared to Sectionline Bigry, who rallied home in :26.4. Primary Colors and Sam Widger finished third.
General Dolan paid $10.00 for the win. The Rockin Image eight-year-old is owned by John Esposito and Robert Esposito, both of Illinois. The Espositos also bred the gelding, who is now four for six in 2023. The old-timer has 36 career wins and is nearing a half million in earnings. The win in the Open Friday was just a tick off his career best time of 1:49.2 taken last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. He is trained by Tyler George.