by Frank Carulli
August 16, 2020
Ratchford Stable’s Century Farroh went into the $225,000 Dan Patch Stakes having won more than half of his starts. But his 17-for-33 record was tarnished by several near misses in stakes company lately. He dueled and just missed in the Graduate series prelims at the Meadowlands, set a suicidal pace and held second in the William Haughton Memorial and rallied from post 10 in the Sam McKee Memorial to finish third.
He appeared in danger of being trapped three-deep on the rail Friday at Hoosier Park, only to find a clear path inside at the sixteenth pole to burst through and catch 4-to-5 favorite Bettors Wish for a half-length victory in 1:49.
“He’s been locked in or raced really hard (lately),” said Hall of Fame driver David Miller. “He actually got a good trip tonight. He was due.”
Bettors Wish (Dexter Dunn), a multi-millionaire and model of ultra-consistency, brushed to the lead early, set middle fractions of :54.1 for the half and 1:22.2 for three quarters, put away pocket sitter Backstreet Shadow (Tim Tetrick) and was dead game to the wire. But Century Farroh snuck up on his inside and prevailed through a :26.3 final quarter. Dorsoduro Hanover (Matt Kakaley) rallied in mid-track to finish third, one length behind the winner.
ODDS ON OSIRIS POCKETS MILSTEIN VICTORY
Odds On Osiris, a sire stakes champion in Indiana last year, carried his prowess across state lines Saturday night. He won the $250,000 Carl Milstein Memorial at MGM Northfield Park in his first out-of-state appearance, bumping his bankroll to more than $500,000 for owner Odds On Racing.
Odds On Osiris led off the gate for driver Peter Wrenn, yielded to a quarter-pole brush by Ohio sire stakes champion Ocean Rock and sat a loose pocket trip until making his move near the three-quarter mile mark. He drew even with Ocean Rock (Dan Noble) at the top of the stretch and prevailed by a quarter length in 1:50.1 after a battle to the wire. Stanford Court (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) loomed boldly outside the top pair but settled for third. Catch The Fire, the even-money favorite off a win in the Adios stakes, faded while first-over before the final turn and never threatened.
Odds On Osiris paid $15 to win and keyed a $156 exacta and $956 trifecta.
“My plan was to try and hold position around the one (Catch The Fire) but he didn’t get out that strong,” said Wrenn. “Then I had the lead and controlled the decision from there.”