Photo of Pilot Legacy and Jordan Ross by Dean Gillette
Two double digit winners kicked off the Thursday, September 10 racing program at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, including 28-1 Pilots Legacy in the evening’s opener. The Indiana trotter timed the wire just right to win the $11.500 conditioned claimer with Jordan Ross in the bike.
Pilots Legacy began from post four and that’s where the gelding got away. Deja Frou and Trace Tetrick claimed the top spot first tracked closely by Lt Will Be Awesome and Peter Wrenn, who took over just after the quarter in :27.2. Lt Will Be Awesome was able to get a breather in the middle stages of the race with Skyway Awestruck and Atlee Bender moving first over around the final turn. Pilots Legacy followed that lead and was in perfect position for the stretch drive.
In the lane, Lt Will Be Awesome was holding his own down the stretch as horses began to close in. At the wire, Pilots Legacy got the win by a head in the three-way photo that placed Pastor’s Delicacy and Kyle Wilfong in second over Lt Will Be Awesome. The field was tightly packed at the wire with only a length and three-quarters separating the top seven finishers. The time of the mile was 1:55.4, a new record time for Pilots Legacy.
Pilots Legacy paid $59.80 for the win. The four-year-old son of Pilot Discretion is owned by John Barnarn and trained by Luis Quevedo. Leonard Miller bred and raised the gelding, who sold in the In-Law Stables consignment at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale for $50,000 with Tony Alagna signing the ticket.
Pilots Legacy is out of the mare Tanyas Legacy who is a proven producer. She is the dam of the standout trotter Whata Swan, who earned a mark of 1:50.3 and made more than $550,000 and now stands at stud himself. She also produced Swanya, a winner in 1:52.2.
It was the third win of the year for Pilots Legacy, who had one win at two before returning this season to hit his best stride. He now has more than $46,000 for Barnard, who shared ownership of the gelding with Alagna before taking over full ownership last summer.
Claimers were on the track for the second race Thursday with Bluebird Zantrax and LeWayne Miller scoring the upset. The five-year-old Rockin Image gelding sat third the entire way before moving forward in the lane and taking the win by one and three-quarter lengths in 1:51.3, a final panel paced in :26.3. Classifiedmaterial and Brandon Bates, who cut the mile, finished a strong second over He’s Half Naked and Kevin Lambright.
Bluebird Zantrax paid $21.40 for the win. The gelding is owned by George Dremonas and trained by Ronnie Roberts. Daryl Miller bred and raised the gelding, who initially sold to Tom Tetrick at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale for $5,500. He is the second foal from the Art Major mare Artiawitchtoyou, a winner in 1:52.2. She is now a 100 percent producer from four foals, all by different sires. Bluebird Zantrax is her quickest, who earned a new lifetime best in his Thursday win at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
