Jockey Joseph Bielmare is set to make Hoosier racing history again as he rides Corning Stone in Friday’s $150,000 Pippin Stakes for mares at Oaklawn. Bielmare, the 2023-2024 Champion Apprentice at Oaklawn, has partnered with Corning Stone in her last three races, including a standout win in the $150,000 Piedi Bianchi Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis on October 1. That victory marked Bielmare’s first career stakes win and raised Corning Stone’s earnings to $879,728, setting a new lifetime record for an Indiana-certified filly.
At just 21, Bielmare expressed immense pride and gratitude for the horse, noting how winning feels like experiencing a first-time victory all over again. Corning Stone, who now has career earnings of $974,128, could become the first Hoosier horse to surpass $1 million in total earnings if she finishes first or second in the Pippin Stakes, a race she won last year under trainer Kenny McPeek.
Since winning Piedi Bianchi, Corning Stone claimed the Fireball Baby Overnight Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis on October 29 and narrowly missed first in the $400,000 Grade 3 Falls City Stakes at Churchill Downs on November 27, finishing ahead of top competitors like Grade 1 winner Raging Sea and Grade 3 winner Liga Red. Reverend Bielmare praised Corning Stone’s consistent improvement and fierce determination through each race.
While Horseshoe Indianapolis remains her strongest track, Corning Stone has also recorded multiple stakes wins at Oaklawn, including the Pippin Stakes and last season’s Mistletoe Stakes. Previous jockeys on Corning Stone include Brian Hernandez Jr. and Julian Leparoux, both well-regarded riders with ties to McPeek.
Bielmare shared his respect for trainer Kenny McPeek, expressing honor and happiness at being part of Corning Stone’s journey. The Pippin Stakes, featuring Corning Stone as the second favorite at 2-1 odds, will be the highlight of a 10-race card starting at 12:30 p.m. CST, with expected post time for race 8 at 3:52 p.m.
Other contenders in the race include the favored Sensation, who has won four of his last five starts under trainer Tom Amoss. Sensation boasts strong tactical speed and confidence, attributes Amoss believes will be tested in this tougher field. The field also features At Just My Heels, Queen Azteca, Peignoir, and Regan’s Flame, with Queen Azteca and Peignoir trained by Rodolphe Brissett.
Corning Stone, a 5-year-old filly sired by Kantaros and running for Payson Stud and RTA Family Trust, is aiming for her eighth stakes victory and is nearing the end of her broodmare career. She holds a solid record of 10 wins, 7 losses, and 5 draws from 30 starts. Trainer McPeek highlighted her as a tough and durable horse bought as a yearling for $75,000, hinting she may race a few more times.
Corning Stone is a half-sister to McPeek’s other Oaklawn winners Ice Cold and First Division, with Ice Cold recently winning the $200,000 Year’s End Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Bielmare, who earned his first career win at Oaklawn in December 2023, finished his season with 19 wins. The previous earnings record for an Indiana-bred was held by Buccello with $947,936.
Fan Take: This milestone for Corning Stone and Joseph Bielmare highlights the growing prominence of Indiana-bred horses and emerging jockey talents in competitive racing. Breaking the $1 million earnings barrier not only elevates the reputation of Hoosier racing but also inspires more investment and interest in the sport from regions beyond traditional racing powerhouses.
