Merkel-trained fillies shine in pari-mutuel debuts
by James Platz
Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to the third round of Indiana fair circuit competition last week. For some of the young pacers and trotters, the races held June 18, 19 and 20 served as an introduction to the Anderson, IN oval. Racing fans could see top performers return in several weeks for the opening round of Indiana Sires Stakes.
Following this week’s action, owner and trainer John Merkel will take aim at the first leg with a pair of pacing fillies that excelled in their pari-mutuel debuts.
It’s My Story was the first of the Merkel-trained freshmen to reach the winner’s circle on Wednesday (June 18). The Best In Show—A Loskoz Bluegrass lass sat patiently in second through a :58.1 opening half before taking control and winning by 2½ lengths, stopping the clock in 1:56.2. The pacer, co-owned by Merkel, John Vorbeck and Daniel Smith, is now two-for-two in fair competition. She is from a family that the conditioner knows well.
It’s My Story’s grandam is the accomplished Ag-N-Au Bluegrass. For decades Merkel served as trainer for Dr. Luel Overstreet’s Bluegrass Stable, a producer of many top horses and several Indiana champions. During her career, Ag-N-Au Bluegrass finished first or second in 23 of 27 starts, banking $301,705 and capturing an Indiana Sires Stakes final as a sophomore.
Since retiring from racing duties, Ag-N-Au Bluegrass has produced winners of nearly $1.2 million, led by gelding Goldie’s Legacy, a 22-time winner with $571,875 on his card. Her first foal, the Panspacificflight-sired A Loskoz Bluegrass had incredible potential, but never made it to the races. The full-sister to the filly, Au D Lox Bluegrass, took a mark of 1:49.2 and earned $377,339.
“I broke her and trained her and she was one fast filly too, but she kicked the walls the whole time and she shattered her pastern,” Merkel said. “It’s a shame that happened. I actually thought she was faster than Au D Lox.”
While she never reached her full potential on the track, A Loskoz Bluegrass has proven productive as a broodmare. Six of her seven registered foals have started, with five winners and a pair of six-figure earners. The connections purchased It’s My Story at last fall’s Hoosier Classic sale for a mere $7,000. From the first crop of Bettors Delight stallion Best In Show, It’s My Story was the third horse through the sale ring in the opening session, sold with the name Middle C.
“I was interested in Best In Show,” Merkel said. “I watched that horse race a couple of times and I already liked him, and I know first-year stallions, people sometimes want to see how they do. I said, this filly sells early. And she’s by a first-year stallion. We’re going to get her bought right.”
In her debut at Converse June 4, It’s My Story led gate-to-wire, finishing two lengths in front for driver Jay Cross in a time of 2:02.1. Wednesday she improved by nearly six seconds in her Hoosier Park triumph, and Merkel believes he has a filly capable enough to compete in sires stakes.
“She’s a nice filly,” he said. “We’re going to go sire stakes with her and give her a shot. I think she’s sire stakes material. She’s just been good from the get-go. She’s always had a little lick to her. So good-gaited, super-gaited, she doesn’t wear a boot or anything. I mean, just a nice filly.”
Leg one of Indiana Sires Stakes action is slated for July 9. Merkel said It’s My Story will not return to the fair circuit between now and the opening round. He will instead focus on preparing her for the state’s top series from his home base at the Shelbyville fairgrounds. As he does, he will also prep another filly, Miss Alexis, who claimed her fair division Wednesday with a 1:59.1 effort with Cross in the bike.
“Jay thinks she’s as good as the other filly,” Merkel said. “She just didn’t have to go as much the other night. But she’s got a big motor, too. She was out of a heck of a mare. So that’s why we were interested in her. We actually thought she’d bring more than she did.”
Miss Alexis is owned by the same trio of partners as It’s My Story. She was purchased for $12,500 out of the Hoosier Classic. Sired by Capt Midnight, Miss Alexis is out of the Dragon Again mare Ginger Tree Alexis, a 30-time winner with just shy of $450,000 on her card. Merkel said that It’s My Story and Miss Alexis were the top two targets to purchase at last year’s sale.
“You know, we’re not big-time spenders, but we just try to find something we think is in our price range,” he said. “It’s unusual that when you pick a couple of horses out, you get two of your top picks bought. Usually, that doesn’t happen.”
Like It’s My Story, Miss Alexis mastered her fair debut for the connections, winning in gate-to-wire fashion. In rein to Cross, the filly claimed victory by more than three lengths at Converse. At Hoosier Park, the narrow second choice moved to the top after a :29.1 opening panel and never looked back, winning by a length and a quarter. Now, the real test comes next month.
“After Jay drove them the other night, he said they could both go forward,” Merkel said. “He said just how much more they’re going to go we don’t know yet. But they’re both real good and getting handy, so that’s a positive sign. I guess we’ll find out.”
