Ponda Jet soars to fifth unbeaten in $95,500 ISS

ANDERSON, Ind.—June 15, 2023—Ponda Jet (Dover Dan-Ponda’s Lucky Lady) continued his winning ways at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino after he captured the featured event of the evening, the $95,500 Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, on Thursday, June 15.

Stopping the timer in 1:53.3, Ponda Jet pushed his undefeated streak to five and remains undefeated in stakes action this season for trainer Jay Hochstetler and driver Kyle Wilfong.

Talent Scout and Peter Wrenn left alertly to get the first call through the opening quarter in :26.2 with Texsong Soprano and Michael Oosting grabbing a pocket seat and Ponda Jet next in line in third. As the field approached the second station, Wilfong gave Ponda Jet the green light and he ranged up to grab command just before the half in :56.

Ponda Jet led the field to the three-quarters in 1:26 as Helpfirstedition and John DeLong were applying pressure from first-over. The stage was set for an epic battle to the wire and the top pair did not disappoint. Just when it appeared Helpfirstedition had the momentum on the outside, Ponda Jet refused to lose and found another gear. Using a :27.3 closing quarter, Ponda Jet got the win over a game Helpfirstedition. Know Stopping Now and Brandon Bates were a hard-charging third. Sent off as the post time favorite, Ponda Jet returned $4.00 at the betting windows.

“That was an incredible effort,” trainer Jay Hochstetler noted after the victory. “For him to get the win after all of that is just incredible. He’s more manageable this year than he was last year and that has made all the difference.”

With the win, he recorded the fifth win of the season from five starts and 6^th lifetime victory from 16 trips behind the gate. Ponda Jet pushed his lifetime earnings to $160,950 for owners Connie J. Hochstetler, Robert J. Buddig, and Allen Schwartz. Ponda Jet was bred by Pond-A-Acres. The victory was also one of two winners on the evening’s 14-race card for driver Kyle Wilfong.

Live racing action will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday, June 16 with a 14-race card featuring the $97,500 Indiana Sires Stakes for the three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Friday’s 14-race card will also feature a $12,500 Guaranteed early-pick-5 sequence in Races 1-5 with a $3,282.66 carryover and a $10,000 Guaranteed Hoosier High-5 in Race 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 www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

For complete race results, click here.

From Harrah’s Hoosier Park