Littleransomsfire huge longshot in Kim Hammond Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis

What a way to kick off the seventh annual Indiana Champions Day Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Littleransomsfire and Jose Gutierrez stunned the field as the longest shot on the board in the third running of the $55,000 Kim Hammond Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The race was the first of 12 premier races making up Indiana Champions Day with purses of more than $1.6 million, the most ever offered for a single racing program at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Littleransomsfire entered the gate with only two wins this season as her first step up into premier action for the Hammond Handicap. Breaking from post eight, Littleransomsfire showed early speed and was nestled right beside Don’t Miss Out and Jose Riquelme who were tracking the race leader Werk It Wendy and Evin Roman through the preliminary stages of the six-furlong event. Around the final turn, the pack began to spread out some, but Littleransomsfire was not backing away.

When the field turned for home, Littleransomsfire was a serious contender for the lead. She continued to fight her way toward the lead and was in a tough battle late in the race. Then, it was the late closers on the outside that became an issue, but Littleransomsfire prevailed by a nose over Hot Middles and Hannah Leahey. Werk It Wendy finished third.

Littleransomsfire paid $156.40 for the win. The five-year-old daughter of Ransom The Moon is owned by Scott Mullins, who also trains. It was her fourth career win with her earnings boosted up to more than $141,000.

“She (Littleransomsfire) tries hard every time and has had quite a few good races for us,” said Cynthia Gastel, assistant to Mullins and longtime partner in the Mullins Stable. “This is her biggest accomplishment, and we love her.”

Mullins and Gastel relocated to Indiana from Illinois about a decade ago. They own a farm minutes away from Horseshoe Indianapolis and are year-round residents on the backstretch, taking advantage of winter training. Both have served on boards of Thoroughbred organizations in recent years and Gastel is an active part of the day-to-day barn operations for the Mullins Stable.

$111,200 Indiana Championship 

Tachas Secret (photo) had a lot riding with her in this year’s 14^th running of the $111,200 Indiana Championship during Indiana Champions Day. Indiana’s richest mare had never quite gotten to the finish line first in three previous tries for this race, but she turned the tables on the boys as a convincing winner to score her 16^th career victory at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

In addition to earning her first title in the Indiana Championship, Tachas Secret increased her career earnings total to more than $708,000 to become the state’s second richest Quarter Horse of all time behind Mr Michel, who has more than $780,000 from his career. She passed up Stone Cold Leader, who completed his career in 2023 with $656,040.

Miss Roxie Little Juvenile Stakes

It was a one-two punch at the finish line for trainer Claudio Barraza in the $50,000 Miss Roxie Little Juvenile Stakes.

Flying Beach (photo), ridden by Fernando Morin, made it to the wire first over stablemate Apollitical Twin C for the first stakes win of the young two-year-old’s career.

Flying Beach paid $9.80 for the win. The son of first crop sire Fly the Coup is owned by Alberto Valadez and trained by Barraza. He was purchased out of the Heritage Place September Yearling Sale last fall for $24,000 from breeder Sheri Miller. His dam, Beach Birde, is a former stakes contender in Indiana, completing her racing career with more than $83,000 before joining the brood mare ranks at Miller Ranch in Shipshewana, Ind.

$150,000 Unreachable Star

Socorro’s Prayer and Alberto Burgos (photo) were reunited for the $150,000 Unreachable Star Handicap and the reunion proved to be a winning combination. The duo led gate to wire for the win in the race named in honor of former Indiana Horse of the Year Unreachable Star.

Socorro’s Prayer paid $8.60 for the win. It was a big day for stallion Prayer for Relief, with Socorro’s Prayer as his third premier racing winner on the Indiana Champions Day racing program. Prayer for Relief, a multiple Graded Stakes winner of more than $2.2 million, passed away in late July at the age of 18 from an expected cardiac issue. His foals have fared well all season at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Owned by Haran Thoroughbreds and trained by John Haran, Socorro’s Prayer earned his fifth win in nine starts for 2026. His bankroll is now over the $200,000 mark for Haran, who purchased him for $1,700 from the Indiana Yearling Sale in 2024.

$100,000 Indiana Stallion Fillies

It was the first big test for Prayer for Music (photo) and the freshman filly hit the winning note, taking home the title in the 29^th running of the $100,000 Indiana Stallion Fillies. Ridden by Alexander Crispin, the Indiana sired filly scored a convincing win in a time of 1:11.08 for the six-furlong sprint.

Prayer for Music paid $4.00 for the win. The two-year-old daughter of Prayer for Relief is owned and trained by Terry Phillips. She was bred by Jonas Schwartz, who is also a major breeder for Standardbred racing in the state of Indiana.

The win was the second in three career starts for Prayer for Music. It was also her first try in premier racing action, adding stakes winner to her credentials. Her career bankroll now soars over $86,000 for Phillips, who is a native of Clifford, Ind. just south of Shelbyville. He earned his first stakes win with the filly.

$150,000 Lady Fog Horn

Terry Phillips was already having a great day. He scored his first career stakes win in the fourth race of the day with Prayer for Music in the $100,000 Indiana Stallion Fillies.

However, Phillips’ day just got a little better as he scored his second career premier victory a few races later in the $150,000 Lady Fog Horn with Prayer Unbridled (photo), ridden by Joe Ramos, making it a double on the day for the Phillips.

Prayer Unbridled paid $12.40 for the win. The three-year-old daughter of Prayer for Relief, who passed away earlier this year, is also owned by Phillips.

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