(Spooky Ridge wins the ITOBA Stallion Service Fillies ‘Cap at Horseshoe Indy on Wednesday / All Photos by Coady Media)

From the Horseshoe Indianapolis Media Team / Tammy Knox:

Spooky Ridge emerges from the shadows in ITOBA Stallion Service Fillies Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis

 

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Wednesday, October 1, 2025) – There was no mystery about who had the most speed Wednesday, October 1 in the 12th running of the ITOBA Stallion Season Fillies Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Spooky Ridge and Joe Ramos ran away with the race, scoring their first win of 2025 and following in the footsteps of her older sister Crosley, last year’s winner of the ITOBA Stallion Season Fillies.

Starting from post three, Spooky Ridge laid off the early pace setters as Gatling Girl and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. took over the top spot on the inside, joined by Sakra’s Quest and Fernando De La Cruz to her outside. Spooky Ridge found a spot in mid pack heading to the halfway point of the one mile, 70 yard race.

Heading into the final turn, Spooky Ridge had maneuvered her way to the outside and was gobbling up ground with every stride as the field turned for home. At the head of the lane, Spooky Ridge took over and exploded, moving out to an eight and three-quarter length victory at the wire under a hand ride. Innisfree Lass and Alberto Burgos also closed gamely for second over Seeyouinabit and Manny Esquivel for third.

“I have ridden her several times before and we just couldn’t get the trip we needed,” explained Ramos, a two-time leading jockey at Horseshoe Indianapolis. “We just needed the opportunity to get a good trip. We found the right place today to let her find her stride. That inside hole that opened up. I think that is what won the race for us today. John (Langemeier) did a great job getting her ready, and I thank him for allowing me to continue to ride her.”

Spooky Ridge paid $5.80 for the win. The Forever d’Oro three-year-old is a home bred by John Langemeier’s Spooky Hollow Racing. Langemeier oversees the training of the filly who is out of a mare he has strong ties to.

“Amberly Village is a full sister to Plainfield, who was such a nice horse and so special to us, but he had some soundness issues,” explained Langemeier. “It’s important to us to make sure these Thoroughbreds, who are the greatest athletes in the world, to get into second careers. So, Plainfield is now training to be a three-day event horse, which is really cool for him to go on to this. Amberly Village (the dam of Spooky Ridge) raced well for us, and at the end of her racing career, I actually gave her to a kid to be a pentathlon horse, but the kid got hurt and couldn’t keep her, so we got her back. I did a little research and Flatter brood mares have proven to do very well, so we decided to keep her and raise foals.”

That decision has turned out to be a winning move for Langemeier. He has a two, three, and four-year-old racing on the day in premier events, including Crosley in the Piedi Bianchi and Eltinge in the Back Home Again Handicap later on the program.

“I expected her (Spooky Ridge) to run well,” added Langemeier. “Joe (Ramos) thought she should have won the First Lady a few starts back and she just didn’t get the trip. We made a few small changes, but it was definitely the trip today. You can’t beat a good trip.”

The 23rd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing runs through Thursday, Nov. 13. For more information on racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find details on social media @HSIndyRacing.