Beach Treat, 2019 Indiana Quarter Horse of the Year, will make his return to racing Thursday, June 18 in the 11th running of the $84,100 Born Runner Classic at Indiana Grand. The race is slated at the 10th on the card with an estimated post time of 6:30 p.m.
Beach Treat was dominant last year in the older ranks, ending the season on a four-race win streak, including victories in the Bob Woodard Memorial Classic, the Hoosier Park Classic and the Indiana Championships. The five-year-old sorrel gelding, owned and trained by Ron Brown, completed the year in late October at Indiana Grand with six wins in nine starts. The son of Escondido Beach hopes to add to his already impressive bankroll that totals more than $210,000 when he enters the starting gate for the Born Runner Classic.
Beach Treat will be joined by Oscar Macias, who guided him to all his wins last season. The pair will start from post three selected as the heavy favorites at odds of 8-5 in the 10-horse field.
Joining Beach Treat as a favorite in the race is Beach Bum Eddie, who also makes his first start of 2020. Owned and trained by Tony Cunningham, the seven-year-old son of Escondido Beach was involved in several photo finishes to Beach Treat last year. The multiple stakes winner in Indiana never missed the board in six starts, earning two wins, two seconds and two thirds to increase his career bankroll to more than $234,000. He begins his journey from post seven with L.D. Martinez aboard at odds of 5-2.
Of the 10 horses in the field for the Born Runner Classic, seven are stakes winners at Indiana Grand, showing the depth of the competition. The field for the 400-yard dash, in post position order with jockey and odds, includes: The Ebony Hare (Giovani Vazquez-Gomez, 30-1); Nacho Binez (Sergio Ramirez, 20-1); Beach Treat (Oscar Macias, 8-5); First Habits (Manuel Gutierrez, 10-1); Kitty Sixup (Erik Esqueda, 5-1); Abe (Edgar Diaz, 10-1); Beach Bum Eddie (L.D. Martinez, 5-2); Beach Cartel (Sammy Mendez, 20-1); Rubys Stone (Fernando Morin, 20-1); and Beach Mercedes (Shanley Jackson, 15-1).
Live racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18 with action held Monday through Thursday beginning at 2:20 p.m. Four Saturday programs are slated for all-Quarter Horse days with a preliminary first post set at 2:20 p.m. July 4, Aug. 8, Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. Continuing in line with Governor Holcomb’s plan to return to full operations for businesses in the state of Indiana, no spectators are allowed at this time.
