by James Platz

Driver Kyle Wilfong sat patiently in the pocket seat with Dashing Danny on Thursday evening (June 27) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Sent off as the favorite, the tandem bided their time behind A Blue Million until the field raced out of the last turn. A nose off the leader at the top of the stretch, the Dover Dan—Sashay gelding trotted on to capture the $50,500 Indiana Sires Stakes division by 1½ lengths in a lifetime best 1:53.4.

“I think we’re spot on,” trainer/co-owner Jeff Cullipher said Friday afternoon. “So far, I’m loving everything. “Kyle has done an amazing job driving. He really hasn’t had any tough miles yet. Last night he raced the last eighth. That’s a trainer’s dream.”

The victory was the second in three starts — all Indiana Sires Stakes — for the sophomore, owned by Cullipher and Tom Pollack’s Pollack Racing LLC. The partners are known for competing in the state’s top program with horses they select each fall at the yearling sales. By contrast, this year they have a pair of contenders that came to the barn through private purchases.

Dashing Danny began his freshman campaign on the Indiana fair circuit. Purchased for $7,000 out of the Northern Indiana Yearling Speed Sale, the trotter was campaigned by trainer Donna Loney for owner Mark Wright. The 2-year-old notched six-straight wins on the circuit to begin his career with Logan Loney at the lines. ‘Danny’ would move to Hoosier Park for two rounds of sires stakes action, finishing off the board in his initial attempt before racing second in the next leg.

Returning to the fairs in August, Dashing Danny picked up another win before entering Grand Circuit action at the Indiana State Fair. Cullipher and Pollack were there that day with a couple of entries of their own. They watched as the gelding finished second to Flirtnwiththepilot in the $12,890 Hoosier Stake.

“We sat there and saw him and talked about him then,” Cullipher said. “We thought he would be a good one to make an inquiry on. He was going some decent miles.”

The Steve Stewart and Black Creek Farm-bred freshman accumulated enough points on the fair circuit to qualify for the $25,000 Governor’s Cup final, held Aug. 16 at Indianapolis. His new owners, however, scratched out of the race and turned their attention to racing at Hoosier Park. Dashing Danny made six starts for the new connections, winning a sires stakes leg and taking his 1:55 seasonal mark his first time out. The gelding trotted second in two more divisions and finished second in the $250,000 Super Final.

Despite a long campaign, the owners entered the freshman into the Breeders Crown, held at Hoosier Park. Dashing Danny qualified for the final with a fourth-place effort in his elimination, but finished ninth in the final.

“We took a shot at the Breeders Crown,” Cullipher said. “In reality, we probably shouldn’t have and wouldn’t have if it wasn’t at Hoosier Park. There were no major issues, but with as many miles as he had been, he just had typical wear for a 2-year-old. A lot of colt soreness. When we got him, we had to press on trying to make him eligible to the sires stakes finals.”

The gelding had raced 17 times as a freshman while afflicted with the aforementioned colt soreness. Cullipher was concerned with how Danny would return in 2024, so he decided to give him an additional month off to recover.

“A lot of times, ones that race that much don’t pick their game up the next year,” Cullipher said. “Knock on wood, he’s really grown up. I had him turned out at a nice farm and they did a great job. He’s grown up to be a man and filled out nicely. He’s a big boy now. He’s muscled up really nice.”

Dashing Danny began the season with a victory in the opening leg of Indiana Sires Stakes action for sophomore colt trotters. His 1:54 clocking on May 27 matched that of divisional favorite Gruesome Twosome. In the second leg, Danny squared off against the You Know You Do colt, managing a runner-up effort. His other entry, Knowyoucando, won the second division that night in 1:56 for driver Atlee Bender.

“Gruesome Twosome, he’s probably going to be the horse to beat all year,” Cullipher said. “Hopefully he stays sound and healthy for his connections. No matter what division he’s in, he’s the one to beat. I’d like to think Danny’s going to be competitive with him. Hopefully I’ll get my turn and be able to beat him here or there. I hope we peak at the right time.”

Thursday night, Dashing Danny turned in a solid performance where he was not used hard in victory. The triumph pushed his seasonal earnings to $63,250, and his career bankroll to $244,337 In the division held earlier on the card, Gruesome Twosome fired home in :26.1, trotting from the back of the pack to win by nearly two lengths. Knowyoucando, first over turning for home, briefly led before coming home fourth. Acquired in May, it was the fourth start for the gelding under Cullipher’s tutelage.

“He’s one of them that I think is going to improve in time,” Cullipher said. “We probably didn’t buy him for a sires stakes horse, but I think he fits. He won the one leg when he drew away from Gruesome Twosome. Last night I think he raced great. He was first up a pretty good way. Horses like that are going to be the ones that step up I think.”