Trainer Verlin Yoder has a solid hand of stakes horses ready for battle at Hoosier Park on Friday’s exceptional Super Stakes program featuring the best-bred horses from Indiana.
Yoder’s specialty is obviously with trotters and he hopes to get the 14-race program off to a quick start with Compelling in the second race, a $70,000 event for aged trotting mares.
“She’s all right,” said Yoder directly. “Hopefully we’ll be able to work out a trip.”
Compelling landed post three and enters the Super Final off a solid placing to rival Churita (post 6) in her last start on October 4.
“Churita will probably be on the front again,” said Yoder.
Churita has won eight of her 17 starts this year and is the probable choice.
O So Easy is a long shot to say the least in the $220,000 Indiana Sire Stakes Super Final for sophomore trotting fillies. “The post didn’t help us out much,” said Yoder when reflecting upon the eight draw in the field of 10. A winner of more than a quarter million last year, O So Easy has had trouble finding her footing this year with just 2 wins in 12 starts and under $50K in the bank.
Yoder thinks the seventh race $220,000 final for juvenile trotting fillies could be a solid event with his Kissesforall expected in the mix.
“You could throw a blanket over three or four of these,” Yoder said.
Kissesforall has won her last two entering the contest and landed post five with Yoder in the bike. “Whoever gets the trip will win it,” Yoder said. “Lewayne’s (Miller) horse is virtually unbeaten and Burke’s horse has been very good.”
Lewayne Miller’s Grand Swan (post 1) has actually won eight of his 11 starts, finishing second on the other three occasions. The Ron Burke-trained Measuredperfection drew post two with Ricky Macomber Jr. in the sulky. One of six daughters of Swan For All in the race, she has earned $141K in her first year of racing while finishing first or second in eight of 12 starts.
On paper It’s A Herbie looks at least second best in the $220,000 final for juvenile trotting colts and geldings carded as race eight, but Yoder took no solace in the post draw that landed his colt post three while arch-rival Swandre The Giant drew eight.
“He’s been battling a foot issue for his last three starts,” said Yoder. “If we can get it under control, he’ll be competitive. Swandre The Giant is a very good horse in Indiana and outside.”
It’s A Herbie has yet to defeat Swandre The Giant and has made a habit of finishing second throughout the season. It’s A Herbie followed Swandre The Giant home in second in his last two starts and has placed seven times in 11 starts, good on the craps table and in the juvenile scorecard that shows the son of Here Comes Herbie with $142K banked this year.
Swandre The Giant is unbeaten in Indiana in 2018, winning seven straight on the circuit before a reported seven-figure purchase placed him in the Jimmy Takter stable in August.
Perhaps Yoder’s best chance of the night could be in the 11th race for sophomore trotting colts and geldings. With $220,000 on the line, Katkin American will be looking for his sixth win of the year from post five.
“Fiftydallarbill comes out of the Kentucky Futurity two heats so you don’t know how he’s going to come back,” said Yoder of what he hopes is an opening for his horse. “We’ve beaten him before.”
A son of Guccio, Katkin American was sent to Florida before this past Christmas for Yoder to train. “My son James did all of the work and he has a lot to do with the horse’s success,” said Yoder.
James has been driving Katkin American and Verlin will be rooting from the paddock for another big effort.
With Fiftydallarbill in Kentucky, Katkin American captured an $85,000 Sire Stakes final on October 4 at Hoosier Park in 1:53 3/5.
Of course Fiftydallarbill, last year’s Breeders Crown winner, is entering the Super final off a neck defeat in the first heat of the Kentucky Futurity to Six Pack. Though a non-factor in the second and final heat at The Red Mile, he did trot a mile in 1:51 1/5 in defeat.
Yoder revealed that his unbeaten trotting filly Woodside Charm is training well and on schedule for a Breeders Crown appearance on October 19 at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. “I’ve raced her after three weeks off and she’s been sharp,” said Yoder of the juvenile daughter of Chapter Seven.