Shooting in Place and Jordan Ross shoot to the top in the $22,000 Open Pace Friday, November 6 at Harrah's Hoosier Park. Photo by Dean Gillette
Shooting in Place and Jordan Ross turned their final move into a winning shot Friday, November 6 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park in the $22,000 Open Pace. The race was accompanied by stakes action honoring tracks of the past, this time Hazel Park.
Shooting in Place left the gate displaying his desire to get to the lead, but Little Rocket Man and John DeLong had a little quicker foot, getting to the lead first with Shooting in Place slipping in behind them and in front of Chandler Bing and Marcus Miller. The quarter mile time was recorded in a moderate :27.0 and even slower second quarter with the half in :56.1. Combustion and Brandon Bates were flushed to the outside and made a big move forward to reach Little Rocket Man in the turn. Shooting in Place and Chandler Bing opted to stay along the inside and followed along to the stretch.
In the stretch, Combustion was still battling on the outside and Shooting in Place had a lot of pace and no room. It was only a matter of time before Combustion backed off, giving Shooting in Place just enough room to get out and move forward. He had a good late kick to get by Little Rocket Man for the win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:51.0, a final quarter in :26.0. Little Rocket Man finished second less than a length ahead of Chandler Bing for third.
Shooting in Place paid $9.40 for the win. The homebred son of Straight Shooting is owned by breeder John Barnard. Luis “Tony” Quevedo trains the five-year-old gelding, who earned his fourth win of 2026. Overall, he has 13 wins from 86 starts and took his career best time of 1:48.2 earlier this year at Harrahs Hoosier Park. He now has more than $220,000 in career earnings for his connections.
Shooting in Place is the son of Helen’s Place Girl, who took a mark of 1:51.4 and made more than $136,000 during her career. She has produced five starters from seven foals, including three-year-old this season Up in Place by Lather Up, a colt with a mark of 1:50.4 and more than $181,000. The family also includes Helen’s Girl with a mark of 1:53.3 and more than $120,000.
Earlier in the night, three-year-old trotting filly Make it Spicy and Trace Tetrick rallied in the stretch to win the $12,500 conditioned trot in 1:55.3. Dial Nine One One and Marcus Miller finished second over Ponda Challenger and Atlee Bender.
Make it Spicy paid $9.20 for the win. The Helpisontheway filly is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Michael Rosenthal, Frank Baldachino, and James Zito. Randy Wilt bred the filly, who now has four wins this year and more than $135,000 in earnings. Her career best time was taken this fall in 1:54.4 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Full results of the Hazel Park stakes events on Friday’s card will be provided by Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s Race Marketing Team.
