Clever Character is not slowing down. The now nine-year-old Indiana pacer earned his first win of 2026 Monday, March 16 in the $6,000 starter allowance to get into the victory column for the year.
Guided by Luke Hanners, Clever Character laid off the early charge to the lead as Mister Spot A and Brett Miller left from the center of the pack tracked closely by Indiana sired Nassau Desire and Chris Page from the outside. Once Mister Spot A had cleared to the front, Nassau Desire took over at the quarter in :28.4. But the field was not settled along the inside as Sip and a Bite and Sam Widger were outside and rolling up at the half in :58.0. This prompted Clever Character to pick up the cover and follow in second over through the middle stages of the race.
Around the final turn, Clever Character flipped three wide to get closer to the leader. In the stretch he was in a full battle with Mister Spot A and the two horses matched each other’s energy all the way to the wire with Clever Character getting the edge by a half length in 1:57.1. Mister Spot A was a clear second followed by Nassau Desire who held his ground for third.
Clever Character paid $6.60 for the win. The Tellitlikeitis veteran is owned and trained by Jessica Markle of Ohio, who has owned him for the past year and a half. Freedom Hill Farms bred the gelding, who earned his 34th career win and pushed his earnings a little more over the half-million-dollar mark. His career best time of 1:49.4 was taken as a three-year-old at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. He started out under the direction of Trainer Tim Smith and was an Indiana Sires Stakes winner as a two and three-year-old, winning the $270,000 Super Final at three for trainer Ron Burke, who acquired him during his three-year-old season. Clever Character is one of seven racehorses out of nine from his dam, Ruby Delight. All seven have marks with John Jay and Dali Delight both having six figures on their card. Clever Character is the richest and the quickest from the family.
Later on the Monday card, Intrepid Ivy scored a near gate to wire win in the $12,500 conditioned pace. Driven by Marc St Louis Jr., the 10-year-old son of Always a Virgin fought hard in the lane to fend off challengers, hanging on to the win by a nec over Big Booty Rudy and Luke Hanners in 1:55.1. Keepin It Lit and David Miller finished third.

Intrepid Ivy paid $4.40 for the win. He is owned by Stephen Bateson and trained by Stacey Currie. Paul Webb and the late Bill Huggins bred the gelding, who earned his third win of the year. Overall, he has 27 wins and more than $389,000 in earnings. His career best time of 1:49.1 was taken last year at Scioto Downs. Intrepid Ivy also comes from a strong maternal family with 10 winners from 13 horses of racing age. The family includes It’s a Miracle (1:51, $477,000) and Always a Miracle (1:51.4, $122,000) and is from the uber talented Illinois bred second dam Fox Valley Godiva, who is the dam of Indiana Sires Stakes champion Valley Electric, winner in 1:51.0 and nearly $800,000 in the early 2000s.
