SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Tuesday, April 15, 2025) — Ekati Flatter has been a mainstay on the Indiana racing circuit. She is now a premier racing winner as she captured the title in the first running of the $55,000 Merrill C. Roberts Overnight Handicap Tuesday, April 15 during the season opener at Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino.
 
Ekati Flatter was one of two entrants in the race for Trainer Randy Klopp. However, it was The Kid Pataky and Joe Ramos who got the early nod from racing fans as the race favorite. When the gate opened for the five and one-half furlong race, The Kid Pataky had her sights set on the lead, gaining the first advantage before Ace Reporter and Mitchell Murrill slipped up the inside to maintain their positioning down the backstretch. The two mares battled each other for most of the race, posting quick fractions before heading into the lane.
 
In the stretch, both The Kid Pataky and Ace Reporter were not backing down from one another. However, it was Crosley and Edgar Morales and Ekati Flatter and Luis Contreras who had the best momentum. Ekati Flatter was able to move past the top two and hold her momentum all the way to the wire for the win. Ace Reporter won the battle in a photo for second over The Kid Pataky.
 
Ekati Flatter surprised racing fans with a $10.00 payout at the windows for the win. The five-year-old Indiana bred daughter of Tale of Ekati is owned by Roger Spiess’s Spiess Stable and Randy Klopp. It was her first start of 2025 and her seventh win, all recorded at Horseshoe Indianapolis for Klopp, who handles the conditioning.
 
“I told Luis to ride her like he wanted to,” noted Klopp. “You never know in horse racing. The Kid Pataky also ran a great race. We got her (The Kid Pataky) after the digital sale, so she’s had less works in her than Ekati Flatter. These two train together in the mornings. I’m pleased with the way both of them ran.”
 
It was the first premier racing win for Contreras in Indiana, who made his debut on the opening day card. The win was also the third on the day in only three starts for the accomplished rider originally from Mexico.
 
“She always breezes in company (with The Kid Pataky) and the other one has a lot of quick speed,” noted Contreras. “She is different in a race than she is in the mornings. I watched her replays, and I really like the way she runs. When the gate opened, she put herself close to the front, and I was really happy about that. We got a great trip. You couldn’t ask for a better trip.”
 
Contreras rode for four years in his native Mexico before coming to the United States in 2006. The multiple Graded Stakes winning jockey found success wherever he went, especially in Canada where he was named the Sovereign Award Outstanding Jockey in both 2011 and 2012. He finished third in the Preakness in 2014 aboard Social Inclusion and has a second and third place finish in Breeders’ Cup action. With more than 2,500 career wins, Contreras is a welcome addition to the jockey colony at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
 
“It’s my first time here,” added Contreras on coming to Indiana. “I really like it so far. I really like the surface here, and it is super even with all the rain we have had. I’ve been here a couple months and rode for the first time at Turfway Park. I rode in Canada, but I never stayed there in the winter. I always went to Oaklawn or California, so it was pretty cold. But I really like the people here. Everyone has been very nice to me.”
 
The 23^rd 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.