Chicory Blaze accelerates to victory in the $100,000 Bucchero at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Chicory Blaze is the epitome of never give up. The four-year-old gelding battled near the lead the entire way and looked to drop back around the turn before hitting all cylinders and coming back up in the stretch to win the $100,000 Bucchero Wednesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Guided by Indiana’s second all-time leading jockey Rodney Prescott, who has well over 1,000 career wins just in Indiana, Chicory Blaze left his starting spot from the gate with speed from post four. He had a slight advantage on the inside of Jazzole and Amir Mendoza and even wider was Mackadoo and Joe Ramos.

Eventually, it was down to two on the front end with Chicory Blaze holding his own along the inside of Mackadoo, who took a short lead into the backstretch.

Heading into the final turn, Mackadoo extended his stride and got a little more advantage on Chicory Blaze, with Prescott grabbing the gelding up to avoid contact with Mackadoo as they swung into the turn. Coming out of the turn, Mackadoo was on the lead and looked strong as horses began to fan out across the stretch from the back of the pack with hopes of running him down.

However, it was Chicory Blaze who came back to life along the inside and blazed the trail to the wire for the win by three-quarters of a length over V Max and Alex Achard, who closed gamely on the outside for second. Berlone and Sammy Bermudez also finished well for third.

Chicory Blaze was the favorite, paying $5.80 for the win. The son of Alternation earned his second win of 2026 in four starts under the direction of Robert Dobbs Jr. It was the second premier racing victory for the chestnut, who is still owned by breeder Joseph Hickman of Bloomington, Ind.

He was also a winner in last year’s $150,000 Governor’s at Horseshoe Indianapolis. His win in the Bucchero brings his career tally to more than $350,000.

“He (Chicory Blaze) was actually our first baby,” explained Hickman, who was joined in the winner’s circle by his wife, Stacey. “We’ve been in horse racing since the 1990s but started breeding our own about six years ago. We have two mares and the mother of ‘Chicory’ was one, Lady Blue. We actually lost her this year when she was having a foal, a half-brother to Chicory.”

The Hickmans immediately got the foal to Kentucky and paired him up with a nurse mare, who instantly took to the baby. He survived and is now thriving at the Hickman farm.

The Hickmans currently have five in training, two weanlings, and one on the way at their 60-acre farm, located in the northwestern part of Monroe County outside of Bloomington. They have been in a partnership with Dobbs since Chicory Blaze began training two years ago. Of course, being from Bloomington makes them almost required to be Indiana University fans, a status they are immensely proud of and still enjoying after the historical championship run by the Hoosiers football team last season.

“We actually bought season tickets before their football team was good,” added Stacey. “We were able to go to all the Bowl games last year and the championship. It was a once in a lifetime experience.”

Along with their love of horses, the Hickmans still own a real estate business. They are retired but Stacey quickly adds, “the horses keep us very busy and are a lot of work.”

Joseph Hickman was sporting a Travers Stakes shirt, which was being worn for a specific reason.

“We are on our way to the Travers right now,” added Joseph following his win with Chicory Blaze at Horseshoe Indianapolis. “The Indiana Derby winner Leading Change is in there and although it’s a tough race, we think he has a shot.”

It definitely gives these Hoosiers something to root for in Saturday’s $1.25 million Travers at Saratoga Race Course.

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