Indiana-sired stars battle in $442,000 Hoosier card

ANDERSON, Ind.—May 30, 2022— Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to a stakes0filled card on Monday, May 30 as the evening’s 13-race harness racing program featured 10 divisions of Indiana Sires Stakes for the three-year-old competitors. It marked the start of the 2022 stakes season and also a successful evening for Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s leading driver, Trace Tetrick, who won six of the evening’s 13 races.

Tetrick kicked things off with a win in the first race on the program but his first Indiana Sires Stakes win wouldn’t come until the ninth race. The three-year-old trotting fillies were the first to square off and it was Bluebird Dove (Swan For All) and driver Peter Wrenn who came out on top in the $47,000 opening division. Stopping the timer in 1:53.2, Bluebird Dove sat the pocket on the heavily favored Luv Lorelei and Robert Taylor before getting up in the final strides of the mile for the win. The 1:53.2 score bested her lifetime mark by nearly three seconds. The filly is trained by Melanie Wrenn and owned by David McDuffee and L&L Devisser LLC.

Driver Peter Wrenn had a driving double on the program as he also scored in the very next stakes, the first division of $34,500 Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies, with Alloutblitz (JK Endofanera) for trainer Jeff Cullipher. It would once again be a late stretch showdown between favorites. After grinding the mile first up, Alloutblitz would valiantly fend off Marvelous Marshia and John De Long to score in a lifetime best 1:51:4. The filly trained by Jeff Cullipher picked up her first win in three tries on the season, and now pushes her career bankroll to $109,334 for owners Pollack Racing and Jeff Cullipher.

Trainer Jeff Cullipher had a training double on the program as he also sent out Always Gonna B You (Always A Virgin) who was victorious in her split of the stakes action for three-year-old pacing fillies in 1:49.4. With driver John DeLong in the bike, Always Gonna B You converted a pocket trip into a new lifetime best score. Owned in partnership by Roll The Dice Stable and the Val D’Or Farms, the filly scored her second win of the season and fifth lifetime victory.

The final division of the stakes action for the three-year-old pacing fillies went to Trick Of The Light (Odds On Equuleus) and Trace Tetrick. Trick Of The Light went gate to wire and held off JK’s Rollin Baby with Atlee Bender to win in 1:50.3. The 1:50.3 established a new lifetime best for the Brian Brown trainee. The filly has now won two of three seasonal starts.

Driver Trace Tetrick teamed up with trainer Erv Miller to record two victories in stakes action. The Longest Yard (Rockin Image) made his seasonal debut a winning one after he stopped the timer in 1:50.2 in a spit of the stakes action for three-year-old pacing colts. The gelding used a :26.2 closing quarter to hold off Fulfillnmydestiny and driver/trainer James Yoder. With the victory, The Longest Yard established a new lifetime best and recorded his fourth lifetime win for owners Rocco Ruffolo and Douglas Overhiser.

Ponda Adventure (Swan For All) also made his seasonal debut a winning one for trainer Erv Miller as he looked every bit the part of a 3-5 favorite. Stopping the timer in 1:53.3, Ponda Adventure went gate to wire to score in a new lifetime best and also get the win by nearly three lengths over Flat Out Foxy and Sam Widger. Ponda Adventure is owned is owned in partnership by Engel Stable of IL LLC, Jerry Graham and Louis Willinger.

Tetrick’s sixth win on the program came behind three-year-old pacing colt JK Victory (JK Endofanera) for trainer Ron Burke. The gelding converted a sharp, front-running effort into his first seasonal victory for 3 Brothers Stable and Caviart Farms. The 1:49.1 winning time was also a new lifetime best for JK Victory.

The 2021 Indiana Sires Stakes two-year-old trotting colt champion Dover In Motion (Dover Dan) was victorious in the opening division of the stakes action for three-year-old trotting colts. Also utilizing a gate to wire strategy, Dover In Motion was in a race of his own as he stopped the timer in a new lifetime best of 1:52.4 and won by nearly six lengths.

Driven by Ricky Macomber Jr. and trained by Jamie Macomber, the gelding has now won nine of ten lifetime starts.

The 2021 Indiana Sires Stakes two-year-old trotting filly champion, M-M’s Dream (Swan For All), also opened her three-year-old season in impressive fashion with a victory of her own in her split of the stakes action. With regular pilot Sam Widger in the bike, M-M’s Dream used a :27 closing quarter to track down Swan Trixie and Peter Wrenn late in the lane. Trained by Henry Graber Jr., the filly stopped the timer in 1:54.4 to establish a new lifetime best and her first win of the season.

Ponda Warrior (Rockin Image) established a new lifetime best of his own after a 1:49.1 front end score in the opening split of the stakes action for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Driven by Jimmy Whittemore for trainer Jay Hochstetler, the colt went to the front and never looked back en route to his second consecutive victory this season. Ponda Warrior is owned in partnership by Jay Hochstetler, Finkelberg Racing and South of the Tracks Rac LLC.

Live racing will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday, June 1 with a 14-race card. For more information on live racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.