Two Indiana heavy hitters battled it out in qualifying action Saturday, March 28 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Crooked Smile and M-M-s Bud made their 2026 debuts to finish one-two in the 1:53.2 warmup for their return to racing.
Crooked Smile and Jordan Ross and M-M-s Bud and John DeLong began side by side at the start. M-M-s Bud decided on a spot along the inside as Crooked Smile moved onto the lead. The veteran pacer crossed over to the lead heading into the first turn over Thiago Hanover and Kyle Wilfong. Shooting in Place and Anthony Miller were third with M-M-s Bud in fourth through the first quarter in :28.4. There was no change to the half in :58.4 before the pace picked up.
Midway through the final turn, M-M-s Bud was brought to the outside by DeLong and shot past his opponents like a bullet. At the head of the lane, he was even with Crooked Smile and the two began the stretch drive. Both pacers kicked into gear and finished together with Crooked Smile getting the edge by a neck over M-M-s Bud. Crooked Smile came home in :26.0 while M-M-s Bud paced his final panel in :25.3. Shooting in Place, who came home in :25.4, finished third. Every horse in the race paced their final quarter in :26.0 or quicker.
Crooked Smile, now nine, is owned by Wilson Racing Stable and Turn For Home Racing. Ellis Bryant bred the Panther Hanover gelding, who is trained by Tim Wilson Jr. The one time conditioned claimer was acquired by Wilson as a three-year-old. He enters this season with 39 career wins from 174 starts with more than $615,000 on his card. His career best time of 1:48.4 was taken last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
M-M-s Bud, who hails from the Alvin Miller barn, enters his five-year-old season with 10 wins from 53 starts and earnings of more than $300,000. His career best time of 1:49.1 was taken last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The Tellitlikeitis gelding is owned by Ted Comerford, Marvin Schwartz, and Miller.
Also a winner on the qualifying program was CS Flying Co-Pilot, driven by Anthony Miller. The five-year-old son of Pilot Discretion moved in the second half and took over in the stretch, trotting home in :27.1 for the win in 1:57.0. Kid Tyler and Trace Tetrick finished second over Maga Hill and Kyle Wilfong.
CS Flying Co-Pilot, a former Indiana Sired Fair Circuit contender, is owned by Flying Eagle Stable and Darin Miller. Robert Wyman trains the gelding, who already has three starts this year. Overall, he is a 15-time winner and has earnings of more than $279,000. His career best time of 1:53.4 was taken last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
