John DeLong wins four Indiana Sire Stakes divisions

ANDERSON, Ind.—May 29, 2023—Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to a stakes filled card on Monday, May 29 for a special Memorial Day card of live harness racing.

The evening’s 13-race card featured the opening round of Indiana Sires Stakes action for the three-year-old competitors with purses between $48,000 and $50,000.

The 2023 Indiana Sires Stakes program will feature eight legs throughout the season and culminate with the $250,000 Super Finals on October 13.

Driver John DeLong scored four stakes victories on the evening’s card and swept the pacing filly division after steering Queen’s Reign (JK Endofanera—Queen’s Gold) and Polk’s Image to victory. In the opening division, Queen’s Reign started her three-year-old campaign impressively as she moved first-over around the final turn before tracking down the pace setting Tell Me Please to get the victory by a head over Sweet Tell and Ricky Macomber Jr. in 1:52.1.

Trained Ernie Gaskin, the three-year-old filly scored her first win of the season and fourth lifetime victory from 13 starts. Owned and bred by Watermark Farm LLC, Queen’s Reign has now amassed $182,500.

QUEEN’S REIGN REPLAY

In the second and final division for the pacing fillies, Polk’s Image (Rockin Image) pushed her undefeated streak to eight after going gate to wire in 1:52.1.

Trained by Jeff Cullipher, the filly left alertly from post two and repelled Sleazy Mama and Trace Tetrick late in the lane to get the victory. Owned by Pollack Racing LLC and Jeff Cullipher, Polks Image is a perfect eight for eight this season. Bred by Dave Mast, Polk’s Image has now earned $119,798 in lifetime purse earnings.

POLK’S IMAGE REPLAY

DeLong teamed up with trainer Missy Essig for the other two stakes wins on the evening’s program. Texsong Soprano (Text Me—Muscling In) and DeLong utilized gate to wire tactics to capture the opening division of the stakes action for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings in 1:53.2.

Using a :27.3 closing quarter, Texsong Soprano trotted away from his competition finishing three lengths to the good. Owned by Lillian Farms and Joe Yoder, Texsong Soprano is now two for two to start his three-year-old season and has won seven of 12 lifetime starts. Bred by Abraham Miller, Texsong Soprano has now earned $205,222 in lifetime purse earnings.

TEXSONG SOPRANO REPLAY

In the final division of stakes action, DeLong steered three-year-old trotting filly Swanya (Swan For All—Tanya’s Legacy) to an upset victory in 1:54.3. Utilizing a :27.2 final quarter, Swanya tracked down the heavily favored Stella Rose and Michael Oosting late in the lane to get the victory.

Trained by Missy Essig, the three-year-old filly scored her fourth win from six starts this season. Bred by Leonard J Miller, Swanya is owned by Jacalyn Beeman.

SWANYA REPLAY

Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s leading driver Trace Tetrick swept the three-year-old pacing colt divisions as he steered Coach Stefanos (Tellitlikeitis—Watch N Be Watched) to victory for trainer Erv Miller and Why Not Now to victory for trainer Dylan Davis. Coach Stefanos delivered as the heavy betting favorite—going gate to wire and winning by three lengths in a new lifetime best of 1:49.1.

The gelding is owned in parternership by K W Duffy, D&M Trading IL LLC and Mr. J Chris Stefanos.  Bred by Victory Hill Farm, Coach Stefanos has now seven of 12 lifetime starts.

COACH STEFANOS REPLAY

Employing a similar strategy in the second division, Tetrick sent Why Not Now (Always A Virgin—Star Of The Show) to the front and never looked back. Why Not Now utilized a :26 closing quarter to finish four lengths in front of Buzzsaw Russ and John DeLong and stop the timer in a new lifetime best of 1:49.1.

Trained by Dylan Davis, Why Not Now is now four for four this season. He is owned in partnership by Howard Taylor, Dylan Davis and Jeffrey Billings and was bred by Dustin Miller.

WHY NOT NOW REPLAY

Ponda Jet (Dover Dan—Ponda’s Lucky Lady) extended a win streak of his own in the second division of stakes action for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings as he went gate to wire in 1:51.4 and recorded his fourth straight victory of the season. The 1:51.4 clocking was a national season’s record for three-year-old trotting geldings and a new lifetime best for the Jay Hochstetler trainee.

Driven by Kyle Wilfong, Ponda Jet held off Helpfirstedition and driver John DeLong late in the lane to get the victory by three parts of a length. Owned in partnership by Connie Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz, he has now earned $113,200 in lifetime purse earnings.

PONDA JET REPLAY

Naturdays and Matt Krueger scored their first win of the season in the opening division of the stakes action for three-year-old trotting fillies. Stopping the timer in 1:53, Naturdays sat the pocket behind the heavily favored Yo Beth D and driver Trace Tetrick before tracking them down to get the victory in a new lifetime best.

Trained by Matt Rheinheimer, the filly is owned by Alton Miller, Debra Miller and Brackton Miller. Naturdays has now won nine of 16 lifetime starts.

NATURDAYS REPLAY

Indiana Sires Stakes action returns to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on June 14. Harrah’s Hoosier Park 30^th season of live harness racing will feature the richest open stakes schedule to date. Worth over a combined $12 million, the 160-day season will be the most lucrative stakes program in the track’s history culminated by hosting the 40^th edition of the Breeders Crown events in October. Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s premier pacing event, the $300,000 Dan Patch Stakes, is slated for Friday, August 11 and the coveted Breeders Crown events will take place on Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28.

For more information on the upcoming live racing schedule or live entertainment at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, guests are encouraged to visit here.

For complete race results, click here.

by Emily Ratcliff, for Harrah’s Hoosier Park