Hialeah, FL, July 4th-In celebration of Independance Day weekend, Indiana Downs officials gave Indiana quarter horse racing its 'independance' with a card devoted solely to "The World's Fastest Athlete" on Saturday night. Quarter horse racing in the state is typically seen at the end of thoroughbreed racing programs, with two or three races at best. Saturday's card sported 9 high quality races, in what was undoubtedly the best quarter horse card the State of Indiana has ever seen.

It did not take long for those who wintered at "The World's Most Beautiful Race Course" to make their presence felt. The night's second race, a $20,000 Allowance at 350 yards saw 5-year old Lil Streakin Chico mare Run Likea Streaker surge late to register her first win since upsetting a similar field of Allowance runners on closing day at Hialeah Park. The James Locklear trainee stopped the clock in 17.93 and nosed out fellow Hialeah campaigner and past stakes winner Wild Choice. And, if that wasn't enough, they were followed by four more Hialeah campaigners giving Hialeah horsemen the top SIX runners in the race! Two of those runners, Servicewithasmile and Hialeah Derby qualifer Brookhiser were making their first starts since the Hialeah meet ended.

In the following race, a 100-yard super dash for $20,000, it was deja-vu all over again as Courvilles Bluff broke best and prevailed under jockey Harold Collins to give trainer James Locklear back-to-back winners. A son of Copper Bluff, Courvilles Bluff scored an entry level Allowance win late last year in South Florida and had not been seen since a disappointing 9th place finish on closing weekend at Hialeah. Fellow Hialeah campaigner A News Streak, under Hialeah mainstay Oscar Delgado, ended up 3rd.

Hialeah Park dominence continued one race later when jockey Aron Hunt, aboard 7-5 favorite Stole N Loot, scored in the $100,000 Indiana-restricted Jaguar Rocket Futurity.

The most impressive win of the night, however, came later, in the $75,000 Indiana Quarter Horse Derby. Debs Rqd, who turned more than a few heads with a 'much the best' score in last December's Hialeah Laddie Futurity headlined a star studded cast which included Mr Brimmerton, one of the favorites in last season's South Florida Quarter Horse Derby and Michigan phenom Fearless Fred, who registered two Grade 3 victories last year.

Debs Rqd had yet to taste defeat in 3 prior Indiana starts and was not inclined to change that Saturday night. Bet down to the 3-5 odds-on favorite, the 3 year-old son of Royal Quick Dash out of the Corona Cartel mare Debs Cartel offered up a stellar performance and a huge closing kick, geting up to win by a neck under regular rider Manual Gutierrez. Improving his record to 6 wins and 1 second from 8 starts, Debs Rqd covered the course in 17.67 seconds and is beginning to justify the opinions of those in South Florida who billed him as an overnight sensation this winter at Hialeah Park. His only setback to date was a 5th place performance in the Grade 3 Texas Longhorn Derby at Manor Downs, a race in which he blew the start and never recovered.

Other Hialeah wins on the night included a score by Bold Badon and Oscar Delgado who prevailed over Sunshine State Stakes winner and race favorite One Tough Dude in a $70,000 race restricted to those enrolled in the Bank Of America Challenge Championship program as well as win by jockey Victor Olivo in the $100,000 Bob Woodard Stakes.

Hialeah Park managment congratulates all involved in what was a ringing endorsement of the high quality meet that was the 2009-2010 racing season at Hialeah Park!