The Record
Hoosier Express appears in the surviving Plainridge programs across 2 seasons, 2003 to 2004, with 4 starts for which the official chart records a finishing position. One of those produced a win, and the horse finished in the first three on 1 occasion altogether.
The fastest mile recorded here is 1:58.2, set on Monday, November 17, 2003. A harness time is written in minutes, seconds and fifths, so the final digit is a fifth of a second rather than a hundredth. On an oval of five-eighths of a mile like Plainridge a horse turns four times in a mile, which costs ground against the bigger tracks and makes direct comparison of raw times misleading.
The winner's line in the chart gives the breeding as BROADWAY EXPRESS out of SASSY MARGIE, herself by MEADOW SKIPPER. Harness pedigrees are quoted in that order — sire, dam, then the dam's own sire — because the maternal grandsire carries much of the weight in judging a standardbred family.
The classes Hoosier Express was entered in run to BAYSTATE, 4000CL, NW260PS, CLMHC, 3000CL, CLM. These are condition races rather than claiming events, so eligibility rested on money already won rather than on a posted purchase price.
The drivers who sat behind Hoosier Express most often were Michael J Girouard (3), Brad D Irvine (1). Driver changes matter more in harness racing than the bare numbers suggest, because the same horse can be driven for early speed or held for a late quarter depending on who holds the lines.
Every Start Held Here
| Date | Rc | Fin | PP | Time | Odds | Driver | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2004 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 1:59.1 | 55.30 | Michael J Girouard | BAYSTATE |
| Apr 5, 2004 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 2:00.3 | 5.40 | Michael J Girouard | BAYSTATE |
| Nov 17, 2003 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 1:58.2 | 24.90 | Michael J Girouard | 4000CL |
| Nov 8, 2003 | 8 | — | 4 | — | — | Michael John Girouard | NW260PS |
| Nov 3, 2003 | 10 | — | 1 | — | — | Michael John Girouard | CLMHC |
| Oct 14, 2003 | 1 | — | 7 | — | — | Michael John Girouard | 3000CL |
| Sep 30, 2003 | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | Brad D Irvine | CLM |
| Sep 20, 2003 | 7 | — | 4 | — | — | Brad D Irvine | CLM |
| Sep 2, 2003 | 4 | — | 2 | — | — | Brad D Irvine | CLM |
| Jun 16, 2003 | 8 | — | 5 | — | — | Brad D Irvine | BOYSSUMMER |
| Jun 10, 2003 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 1:59.1 | 4.30 | Brad D Irvine | 3000CLHC |
Questions about this horse
Which conditions was Hoosier Express entered under?
BAYSTATE, 4000CL, NW260PS and CLMHC, plus 4 other conditions. Each code is a set of eligibility conditions rather than a grade — the class pages explain what each one admitted.
What were the odds on Hoosier Express?
The shortest price in the recovered charts is 4.30 to one. Odds are the closing figures printed on the chart, so they reflect what the pool decided at the off, not a forecast.
How many starts does the record show for Hoosier Express?
The record shows 4 charted starts for Hoosier Express, 2003 to 2004. The name appears on 11 race days in all once entry sheets are counted, because a horse can be drawn into a race and then scratched before it is run. That is what the programmes and result sheets hold, not necessarily the horse's full career: starts made at other tracks are outside this record.
How did Hoosier Express finish in these races?
Yes — 1 win from 4 starts, a strike rate of 25%. Adding 0 seconds and 0 thirds, Hoosier Express finished in the first three on 1 occasion.
What is the best time recorded for Hoosier Express?
1:58.2, on 2003-11-17. Harness times are read as minutes, seconds and fifths, so 1:58.2 is 1 minute and the rest in seconds — the final fifth is the digit after the last point.
Who drove Hoosier Express?
Michael J Girouard (3) and Brad D Irvine (1). The figure in brackets is the number of drives.
Was Hoosier Express a trotter or a pacer?
A pacer — every charted start is at the pace. A pacer moves its legs in lateral pairs, a trotter in diagonal pairs, and a horse is normally campaigned at one gait or the other.