SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (July 17, 2019) – Ace of Aces and Jon Court were on their “A” game Wednesday, July 17, scoring the win in the 11th running of the $100,000-added Snack Stakes. The three-year-old son of Unbridled Express scored the win in a time of 1:38.34 over the yielding turf course at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.
Ace of Aces has good early speed and he displayed it well at the start of the one-mile turf race. Court had him on top heading by the grandstand the first time, but they were immediately joined by a fleet of horses seeking the top spot. The flashy grey gelding was pressured by Wherewegoin and Eddie Perez with I Will Stand and Joe Rocco Jr. sitting three wide through the first half of the race. Ace of Aces had a strong hold on the lead and kept his advantage through the final turn.
In the stretch, Court was able to let Ace of Aces out a notch and he excelled to an open length advantage. Late closers were beginning to assemble in the stretch with Fever Temple and Leandro Goncalves gaining ground the quickest on the far outside. However, Ace of Aces was too strong on the front end, winning by three-quarters of a length over longshot Fever Temple. Race favorite Toss of Fate and Malcolm Franklin also closed well to finish third in the 11-horse lineup.
Trained by Bernie Flint, Ace of Aces recorded his fifth career win in eight career starts. The Indiana sired product now has in excess of $260,000 in career earnings for Ron Hillerich’s Hillerich Racing LLC and Flint’s L.T.B. Inc.
“We knew it was a possibility we would have company coming out of the gate, but Bernie (Flint) and I talked about a game plan and I decided to follow Plan A,” said Court, who was the first all-time leading jockey in the state of Indiana in the late 1990s. “Having that pressure sort of helped him (Ace of Aces). He pricked his ears and was able to lay there with them comfortably, and I felt the pace was comfortable too. At the end, he had enough of a kick to put a little cushion on the field in the stretch and Ace of Aces brought his ‘A’ game today.”
Court, who is based in Kentucky, has more than 4,100 career wins and is still going strong in a 40-year riding career that has carried him all across the world. The multiple Graded Stakes winning jockey has been among the nation’s top 100 jockeys nearly every year since 2000, riding in nearly every major race along the way, including two wins in the Indiana Derby. Court has numerous leading jockey titles to his credit from Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas and Colorado. He was greeted trackside Wednesday by his mother, Pam, who was in town to root on her son during a visit.
Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 6. Racing is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m.
Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, which is owned and operated by a subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR), holds multiple awards for customer service, entertainment, gaming, dining, and diversity. Located in Shelbyville, Ind., Indiana Grand features 2,200 of the latest slots and electronic table games in addition to a one-mile dirt racecourse and a seven-eighths mile turf course offering live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing each year. Simulcast wagering is also offered year-round at Winner’s Circle Brewpub & OTB located on the casino floor as well as a Winner’s Circle OTB located in Clarksville, Ind. For more information, please visit www.IndianaGrand.com. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing at racetracks and 21 or older to gamble at casinos. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (1-800-994-8448) ©2019 Caesars License Company, LLC.
Photos by Coady Photography
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