Seize Greatness, ridden by Luis Luna Diaz, wins the $83,100 Hoosier Park Classic at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Wednesday.

© Coady Media

SHELBYVILLE, IN–OCTOBER 9, 2024–It was a race of firsts in Wednesday's 28th running of the $83,100 Hoosier Park Classic. It was the first stakes win for Seize Greatness, his first win of 2024, and the first career stakes win for Jockey Eduardo Diaz, a late jockey change on the program.

The race has a deep history in the state. In 1997, it was one of three races held at Hoosier Park in the inaugural season of pari-mutuel Quarter Horse racing in Indiana. Now in its 28th running, the race was brought back to the Matt Frazier barn with the same bloodlines, just a different horse in Seize Greatness.

Last year’s winner, High Rolling Seize, won the Hoosier Park Classic with Shanley Jackson aboard. This season, Jackson, who is from Florida, came in just to ride High Rolling Seize with hopes of a repeat, but it was his younger full brother, Seize Greatness, who scored the title.

“I’m really happy for this horse and for the owners, the Graffs (Glenn Graff),” noted Trainer Matt Frazier, who scored his sixth overall title in the Hoosier Park Classic. “This horse has a ton of talent and ability, he mentally has not been able to put it all together. But he was able to put it together tonight, so we are happy with his performance.”

Starting from post eight, Seize Greatness had an average break out of the gate that included six horses with six-figure earnings, showing the depth of talent in the field. A lot of attention was drawn to Mr Michel and Edgar Diaz, the older brother of Eduardo, on his inside while Tachas Secret and Fernando Morin were dominant on the inside.

The winning connections of Seize Greatness accept the $83,100 Hoosier Park Classic trophy at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Wednesday. © Coady Media

Midway through the 400-yard dash, a light bulb seemed to click with Seize Greatness, and he began lengthening his stride. With the area lit up at the finish line, Seize Greatness recognized a color change on the track and made a little leap at the wire, but his power brought him across the finish line for the win by a neck over Tachas Secret along the inside. AJK Forgiven and Oscar Macias won the tight photo for show that included Mr Michel.

Seize Greatness seized the day at the windows, paying $73.00 for the win. It was only his fourth career win in 20 starts over the past three seasons. He now joins his counterpart as a six-figure earner for the Graff-Frazier connection with a bankroll of $120,000 for the four-year-old son of Seize the Win.

Graff bred Seize Greatness in Indiana out of the Feature Mr Jess mare Crossing The Brazos.

The partnership of Graff and Frazier has stood the test of time for more than a decade. They campaigned the sire of both Seize Greatness and High Rolling Seize, Seize The Win, who was a multiple stakes winner with some of those elevated victories scored at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Overall, he completed his racing career with more than $370,000 on his card before becoming a sire for his connections.

For Eduardo Diaz, the race marked his first career picture with a trophy following a win. The 21-year-old jockey began his riding career just a little more than a year ago in September at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He has 12 wins to date and changes his status to stakes winning jockey with the win aboard Seize Greatness.

Trainer Ricardo Martinez saddled runner-up Tachas Secret for owner Duke Racing, LLC. The daughter of Habits Secret has lit the board 13 of 18 starts with $331,224 in earnings. Martinez bred the four-year-old filly in Indiana out of Sin Tachas Angel by Pyc Paint Your Wagon.

Third-place finisher Ajk Forgiven has seven wins from 28 starts and $145,066 in the bank for owner-breeder Jose Chavez. Sacramento Chavez conditions the four-year-old daughter of Mo Zoomo. She is out of the Pappasito mare Loving On The Run.

Mr Michel, High Rolling Seize, Hooked On Jordan, Sundays Best and Dashtraxx round out the order of finish.

The 22nd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing extends through Thursday, Nov. 14. Racing is held at 2:10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis/racing or find the track on Social Media @HSIndyRacing.

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