SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Aug. 16, 2019) – Lady Ally had the biggest cheering section during the Friday, Aug. 16 racing program at Indiana Grand and she gave her fans something to cheer about. Owned by the latest partnership under the Ironhorse Racing Stable moniker, Lady Ally rallied home a winner by three and three-quarter lengths in the $33,000 Two-Year-Old Maiden Special Weight.
More than 30 people were in the winner’s circle to greet Lady Ally following the race. Many individuals in her ownership group, which is in excess of 30, came to watch with family and friends to watch their new acquisition compete for the first time. It was a welcomed surprise to add a win onto the afternoon journey.
Starting from post seven, Lady Ally got away in the first flight during the five and one-half furlong race, but jockey Fernando De La Cruz was able to ease her back and sit patiently through the first half of the race. Once the field hit the homestretch, he had Lady Ally in full gear. She caught up with race leader Lucky Fever and Rodney Prescott and the horses matched each other stride for stride halfway down the stretch before Lady Ally pulled away for the win. Lucky Fever was second while Arch Socialite finished third with Ezequiel Lara aboard.
This is the first time I’ve owned a horse,” said Alexa Zepp, who drove in from Lawrence, Kansas to watch Lady Ally. “I’m a handicapper and always wanted to own a horse. I was really impressed with the way Ironhorse Racing handles their business and they really care about the well being of the horses. And, while I was here, I noticed Indiana Grand had an NHC Qualifier on Saturday, so I’m staying over to play in that too.”
Lady Ally, a freshman daughter of Alternation, was bred by Pat and Dennis Doran. She became available in the Fasig Tipton “Two-Year-Olds in Training” sale at Santa Anita and caught the eye of Harlan Malter, the owner and manager of Ironhorse Racing. He purchased her for $26,000 and sent her to Trainer Tim Glyshaw at Churchill Downs.
“We had her for three weeks at Churchill and then sent her up to Indiana Grand,” said Glyshaw, who trained Bucchero, Indiana’s all-time richest Thoroughbred for Ironhorse Racing. “She is a great horse to be around and really good for the owners. Harlan (Malter) had been looking to put more partnerships together and get more people involved at a smaller percentage just so they could be part of an ownership group at a minimal amount of money.”
Glyshaw noted the new ownership group behind Lady Ally have been really engaged and involved in her progress, especially on Twitter. He said her ownership group stretches across the nation and even includes a few existing owners that he has with other horses in his stable that are located locally in Indiana.
“I’m originally from Bloomington but now I live in Detroit,” said Clayton Davis, who works IT Security for General Motors. “This is the first horse I have ever owned. As an IU grad, I reached out to Tim (Glyshaw) as a fellow IU grad. He pointed me to Lady Ally as a good entry point.”
Davis noted that he came to Indiana Grand on Indiana Derby Day to meet Lady Ally for the first time and is totally hooked into racing.
“She loves peppermints and loves to be petted,” said Davis. “We were excited to see her run. I’ve never screamed and hopped up and down so much during a race. I’m hooked into the sport for life.”
Glyshaw made arrangements for all owners attending the race to meet him at the stable gate so he could take them back to see Lady Ally following her win, adding to the excitement of the day for the new ownership group.
“She (Lady Ally) has shown promise from the start,” added Glyshaw. “She is very smart and always tries very hard. You never know with a first-time starter what will happen, but for a first-time starter, everything went right. She settled in behind horses well before Fernando swung her to the outside. That was really nice to see from a first-time starter.”
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. More information about the season is available at www.indianagrand.com.
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 race course 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.
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Photos by Coady Photography
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