(Hard Luck Prayer wins ITOBA Stallion Season ‘Cap at Horseshoe Indy on Wednesday / All Photos by Coady Media)

From the Horseshoe Indianapolis Media Team / Tammy Knox:

Hard Luck Prayer is living large during Hoosier Day at Horseshoe Indianapolis

 

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Wednesday, September 30, 2026) – It’s been quite the year for Hard Luck Prayer at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He came into the 13th running of the $125,000 ITOBA Stallion Season for colts and geldings as the richest horse of the season with over $200,000 in earnings. Now, the three-year-old has distanced himself from the rest of the winner’s this year with his latest win in premier racing action, boosting his total for 2026 to over $287,000. His latest win was in honor of Kerry Hopper, longtime owner and farm operator in the state. Ironically, Hard Luck Prayer is by one of the stallions Hopper oversaw at R Star Stallions.

Hard Luck Prayer was a four-time winner this season heading into the $125,000 ITOBA Stallion Season race. He has been ridden in all but his very first start by Andres Ulloa, who gets on him in the morning as well for Trainer Bob Gorham. Horse and rider are always in sync, and they showed that partnership again as the 10-horse field left the gate for the one mile, 70 yard race. Infinite Speed lived up to his name and sprinted out for the lead for jockey Santo Sanjur and joined Tiz Eddie and Mitchell Murrill heading into the first turn. Infinite Speed then took over to lead the field down the backstretch. Hard Luck Prayer was sitting just off the two top horses in third with Ulloa opting to keep him on the outside to avoid any traffic issues later on.

Around the final turn, Hard Luck Prayer was still tracking the progress of the top two before signaling Hard Luck Prayer it was time to move. At the head of the lane, Hard Luck Prayer took over and moved away from the field, gaining a five and three-quarter length advantage at the wire as the favorite of the field. Turbo Duck and Joseph Romero finished second over Infinite Speed in third. Both Ulloa and Romero are both natives of the country Chile.

Hard Luck Prayer paid $4.40 for the win. The sophomore son of the late Prayer for Relief, who passed away earlier this year, is owned by Mast Thoroughbreds. It was his second straight win after three second place finishes prior to his last win in the $150,000 Governor’s Handicap. He has not been worse than second in eight starts this year, a strategy planned by Gorham.

“There wasn’t much speed in this race, so I told Andres (Ulloa) to decide which would be best,” noted Gorham about the strategy going into the ITOBA Stallion Season race. “This schedule is always tough, so you have to plan your year. There are opportunities in the spring, then you get a little break in the summer and then get ready for the races in the fall. Andres (Ulloa) made all the right decisions today and rode him great.”

The race named in honor of Hopper also had special meaning to Gorham, who has worked with Hopper in the past, noting he was important to Indiana racing. It was one of six premier races making up the Hoosier Day card, featuring Indiana sired and bred contenders.

“This is such an honor to win this race named in honor of Kerry Hopper,” added Gorham. “And it is a special honor to win this race with a horse from one of their stallions (Prayer for Relief). Kerry and his wife (Leigh Ann) have always been such supporters of the breeding program for Indiana. I’m very glad to win this race in his honor. This win means a lot to me.”

The 24th season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse extends through Friday, November 13. Indiana’s top Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses will be featured Saturday, October 24 during the seventh annual Indiana Champions Day. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.

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