SHELBYVILLE, IN—OCTOBER 21, 2017—Apollitical Man and James Flores were on a mission from the start and led the field of talented older horses from gate to wire to win the fifth running of the $85,480 Indiana Championship at Indiana Grand Saturday.

The race was one of five stakes races on the card to polish off the final all-Quarter Horse racing night of 2017 at the Central Indiana racetrack.

Starting from post six in the nine-horse lineup, Apollitical Man made his first start at Indiana Grand an impressive outing. Flores, who has been the regular pilot on the five-year-old gelded son of Apollitical Jess, knew he needed a quick, clean start, and that is what he got from Apollitical Man.

Once on the lead, the duo never looked back, rallying home to a one and three-quarter length win in the 400-yard dash in a time of :19.641 seconds. Country Boy 123 and Giovani Vazquez-Gomez was able to fend off Stinkin Rich and Rolando Pina for the tight photo for second.

"He really repeated what he did in his last out," said Flores, who scored his first of two wins on the card aboard Apollitical Man. "When he runs his race, he is hard to beat."

Apollitical Man, the third favorite of the field, paid $9.20, $4.00 and $2.80 across the board. He earned his second straight win and his third in five starts for 2017 with his win in the Indiana Championships.

He is owned by Jon and Brant Barley and capably trained by Larry Sharp. Apollitical Man cruised over the $100,000 mark with his win, now boasting more than $143,000 in career earnings. He has eight wins total, four of which are stakes wins all under the guidance of Flores, who leaves Indiana Grand this season with 10 wins in 26 starts and more than $240,000 in purse earnings.

"I like this racetrack and I like the people here," said Flores of his successful season, his first, riding at Indiana Grand. "I’ve been blessed to come in and ride some great horses."

Flores is currently ranked sixth in the country among all Quarter Horse jockeys for purses accumulated in 2017. The Oklahoma native has more than $1.6 million on his credentials with 69 wins. He frequently travels all across the country to compete in races.

In just the past week, the multiple Graded Stakes winning jockey has ridden at Will Rogers Downs in Oklahoma and made the trip to Prairie Meadows for the Grade I AQHA Distaff Challenge Championship Stakes, a race he finished second in aboard Time For Wine. Flores is in his seventh year of riding and has a long, successful relationship with Sharp.

"James (Flores) has ridden for me for a few years now," said Sharp. "He’s done very well for us. We hit it off almost immediately. Of course, you can’t complain when you are winning races. He’s ridden a lot of winners for us."

Making his first start outside of Canada this season, runner-up Country Boy 123 races for owner Ruth Barbour and trainer Anthony Cunningham. Carolyn Bay bred the multiple stakes winning son of Country Chicks Man from the Dash Thru Traffic mare Very Dashing 123. The $17,191 second-place check pushed his bankroll to $181,953.

Stinkin Rich, a 5-year-old One Famous Eagle gelding racing for owner/breeder Carolyn Bruce earned $8,643 for third. Matt Frazier conditions the multiple stakes winner out of Miss Scarlet by Sc Chiseled In Stone. A 10-time winner, he has earned $441,830.

Woop Dee Doo, Sicario, A Tacky Chick, Tf Jess A Leader, Seize The Win and Time To Get Rough completed the field.

The 15th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Friday, Oct. 27. Racing will be conducted Tuesday through Friday the final week of the meet with a post time of 2:05 p.m.

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The Governor’s Stake is one of the oldest pari-mutuel Quarter Horse stakes in the state of Indiana. It was part of the trio of races that kicked off pari-mutuel racing in the state in 1997 at Hoosier Park.

The race was moved to Indiana Grand when the state moved all Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing to Indiana Grand and Hoosier Park kept all Standardbred racing at their facility. The race was part of a five-stakes evening for Indiana Grand, which featured more than $572,000 in purses for the sprinters.

In addition to the appearance by Claussen, the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana (QHRAI) provided a long-sleeved shirt giveaway along with $2 race wagers to fans attending the final all-Quarter Horse night of 2017.

The 15th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing continues through Friday, Oct. 27. Racing will be conducted Tuesday through Friday the final week of the meet with a post time of 2:05 p.m.

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About Indiana Grand Racing & Casino: Indiana Grand Racing & Casino holds multiple awards from industry publications for customer service, entertainment, gaming and dining. Located in Shelbyville, Ind., Indiana Grand features 2,200 of the latest slots and electronic table games in addition to a one-mile dirt race course and a seven-eighths mile turf course offering live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing each year. Simulcast wagering is also offered year-round at Winner’s Circle Brewpub & OTB located on the casino floor as well as an off-track betting facility located in Clarksville, Ind. For more information, please visit  www.IndianaGrand.com.