Winner’s Bet ties record in $200,000 Caesars Trotting Classic

ANDERSON, Ind.—Sept. 20, 2024 – Favorites delivered in the main harness racing events of Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s Caesars Trotting Classic card presented by Kountry Lane Standardbreds on Friday, Sept. 20. Winner’s Bet (Walner) steamrolled in stakes record equaling time of 1:50.3 in the seventh edition of the Trotting Classic, while Little Rocket Man (Rockin Image) emerged atop a thriller in the $165,000 Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby.

Leaving from post six as the even-money favorite, Winner’s Bet and driver Dexter Dunn were forwardly placed early, pressing to the outside of Ponda Jet (driven by Kyle Wilfong) on the way to the first quarter in :27.

Winner’s Bet took command on the backstretch, rolling along on the front unchallenged to the half in :55.1.

With pocket-sitter Ponda Jet beginning to gap slightly entering the final turn, Dunn turned Winner’s Bet loose on the engine, opening up by five at three-quarters in 1:23.1 while Oh Well (Todd McCarthy) led the charge first-over into third.

Winner’s Bet strode home confidently, powering away by 5-1/2 midway through the lane in front of Oh Well who moved into the place spot. Geared down at the edge of the toteboard, Winner’s Bet coasted to the wire in 2-3/4 length’s clear in 1:50.3. Oh Well fended off his Marcus Melander stablemate Periculum for the place spot.

“He’s in great form right now,” said winning driver Dexter Dunn, “He does it so easy, once we got to the front and got a breather on the backstretch, I felt like I had an opportunity to get some separation on the turn and he felt great turning for home.”

Trained by Nancy Takter, the four-year-old son of Walner-Side Bet Hanover has won six of nine on the season. With the victory, Winner’s Bet went over the $1 million mark for his career, banking $1,000,471 for owners Lindy Farms and Robert Rudolph.

WINNER’S BET REPLAY

“He’s really bounced back after some unfortunate circumstances in a few races this summer,” said Nancy Takter, “He was great through the Graduate and had some tough luck since, but has really shown how good of a horse he is the last couple of starts.”

Takter noted that while not yet certain, the Breeders Crown at The Meadowlands in October is likely the next stop for the Caesars Trotting Classic champion.

The win was one of four on the evening for driver Dexter Dunn while the 1:50.3 clocking matched the stakes record established by It’s Academic in the 2023 edition of the Caesars Trotting Classic.

A race prior, Little Rocket Man rewarded his backers at the betting windows while also providing a thrill to the hometown fans as he won a mad scramble to the wire in the $165,000 Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby.

With Dave Miller back in the bike for a second straight start, Little Rocket Man got away in good order fourth while Coach Stefanos (Trace Tetrick) diverted from his usual late-closing tactics to bring the field to the quarter in :26.2. Abuckabett Hanover (Dunn) took command briefly on the backstretch before Miller’s hand was forced, with a parked out Bythemissal (Yannick Gingras) flushing the favorite who went on to assume command at the half in :54.2. Little Rocket Man sped into the far turn, under pressure from Backstreet Shadow (Matt Kakaley) who moved three-wide around Bythemissal on the backstretch to apply pressure to the leader at three-quarters in 1:21.3.

Backstreet Shadow’s bid began to falter at the top of the lane, setting the scene for a three-horse battle in the stretch with Little Rocket Man between Abuckabett Hanover and Bythemissal. Little Rocket Man dug in gamely in deep stretch, fending off Abuckabett Hanover by a quarter length on the line in 1:48.1. Bythemissal finished third, beaten only a half length after never seeing the pylons throughout the mile.

LITTLE ROCKET MAN

“I think I was more nervous in the lane than he (Little Rocket Man) was,” Miller joked in the winner’s circle. “The fractions really weren’t too bad on the front, he felt good all the way through the lane, he knows where the wire is.”

Ken Rucker trains the eight-year-old son of Rockin Image-GT Miss Royal for owners Russ Beeman and Boomer Freeman. Little Rocket Man earned his third stakes victory of the season, with wins already in the Battle of Lake Erie and Jim Ewart Memorial. A winner in 11 of 14 on the season, the 65-time career winner sports a career bankroll of $1,544,799.

On a card with nine total stakes races, Sabonis (Tellitlikeitis) headlined the Caesars Trotting Classic undercard, securing his 12^th straight victory of the season in the $115,000 Jenna’s Beach Boy for three-year-old colt pacers at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday (Sept. 20)

Sabonis earned an automatic nomination into the Jenna’s Beach Boy following a victory in the $75,000 Hoosier Cup in his last outing. Leaving from post five with regular pilot Joey Putnam aboard, Sabonis skirted the pylons to narrowly get the job done as the 1-5 favorite.

Putnam grabbed command early with the fired up Sabonis, crossing over to the pylons in front at the quarter in :26.2. Howlenthehills (Matt Kakaley) pressed on to the lead after being parked on the first turn, taking over before reaching the half in :55.2. M-M-s Bud (Jay Cross) moved first-over from third, going after Howlenthehills at three-quarters in 1:24 while Sabonis swelled in the pocket.

Howlenthehills and M-M’s Bud slugged it out at the top of the lane before Sabonis joined the fray, swerving sharply to the passing lane while clipping a few pylons in doing so. Sabonis was able to gather his momentum, surging up the lightning lane in :25.4 to get by Howlenthehills by a half length in 1:50.1. M-M’s Bud held for the show spot.

The win was the second for both Putnam and trainer Aaron Stutzman in the Jenna’s Beach Boy, teaming up with Soaring Now to take the 2022 edition. Sabonis has won 15 of 16 on the year, the son of Tellitlikeitis-Gypsy Bellevue has banked $445,750 this season for owner Pat Miller.

Lets Go Endofaera (JK Endofanera) kept her seasonal streak alive a race before hand, pacing to her sixth straight victory in the $75,000 Carl Becker for Indiana Sired three-year-old pacing fillies.

Driver John De Long found himself parked with the 2-5 favorite on the first turn, racing to the outside of Jada Caroline (Marvin Luna) through a first quarter of :26.4. Lets Go Endofaera cleared on the backstretch, backing the pace down to the half in :56.3. Dexter Dunn fired up fellow elim winner Teelatini up from fourth, surging first-over to take on Lets Go Endofaera at three-quarters in 1:24.4.

The battle raged turning for home, with Lets Go Endofaera digging in to counter the surging Teelatini. Powering home in :26.2, Lets Go Endofaera edged away late, crossing the wire a length clear in 1:51.1 over Teelatini. Lyin’ Eyes (Joey Putnam) finished third.

The Indiana Sire Stakes champion at two, Let’s Go Endofaera has won eight of nine on the season for trainer Tabby De Long. John De Long co-owns along with William and Jesse De Long who bred the daughter of JK Endofanera-Let’s Go Higher. Lets Go Endofaera has made $267,380 on the year and $552,280 for her career.

In addition to the sophomore pace stakes, Harrah’s Hoosier Park hosted stakes for all four freshman divisions along with the Phil Langley Memorial for three-year-old trotting colts.

The Madison County

Kicking off the stakes action for the evening was a talented group of nine freshman trotting colts going to post in the $100,000 Madison County Stakes and it was driver Kyle Wilfong who sent Operator (You Know You Do) to the front and never looked back. Stopping the timer in 1:54.3, Operator left alertly from post eight to dictate fractions of :29.1, :58.3 and 1:27 before holding off a late surge from Monserrate and driver Todd McCarthy. Cheers Hanover and David Miller converted a pocket trip into a third place finish. Slightly dismissed at odds of 11-1, Operator returned $25.40 to his backers at the betting windows.

Trained by Jay Hochstetler, Operator recorded his third win from eight seasonal starts. With the win, the gelded son of You Know You Do—Crazyasclassic pushed his seasonal earnings to $85,005 for owners C.J. & H.J. Hochstetler, R.J. Buddig, A.N. Schwartz. Operator was bred by Christopher Nissley.

The Elevation

Driver John DeLong utilized similar tactics in the very next stakes race on the program as he steered Avanti (Rockin Image) to a front stepping victory for trainer Melissa Essig in the $100,000 Elevation Pace for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. With a final time of 1:51.1, Avanti left enough in the tank to hold off a fast-closing Odds on Brahmastra and driver Peter Wrenn late in the lane. TH Colby and Yannick Gingras rounded out the trifecta. Sent off as the betting favorite, Avanti returned $6.40 at the betting windows.

Owned in partnership by Rocco Ruffolo and Fac Racing LLC, Avanti scored his second win of the season and established a new lifetime best in the process. The gelded son of Rockin Image—Sayulita pushed his lifetime bankroll to $101,900 with the victory.

The Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes

The $185,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes delivered thrilling performances with Sammy Jo Hanover (Captaintreacherous) capturing the two-year-old pacing filly division and a dramatic dead heat finish between Kendra and Voguish in the trotting filly division.

Sammy Jo Hanover, driven by Tim Tetrick and trained by Scott Di Domenico, showcased her talent with a decisive victory in 1:51.2. Tetrick sent Sammy Jo Hanover away from the gate firing but she yielded the lead to Always Ana Hanover and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. just before the half. When the field turned for home, Sammy Jo Hanover found a :27.0 closing kick to surge past Always Ana Hanover and hold off Wunderkindbluechip and Scott Zeron. Sammy Jo Hanover returned $12.60 to her backers at the betting windows.    

The two-year-old daughter of Captaintreacherous–Sammy’s Magic equaled her lifetime best mark, delivering her second win from eight seasonal starts. Sammy Jo Hanover, bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, is owned by Oompa’s Farm and Joseph Barbera.

The two-year-old trotting filly division added even more excitement, as Kendra and Voguish crossed the wire together in a dramatic dead heat, stopping the clock in 1:54.3.

Kendra, piloted by Dexter Dunn and trained by Nancy Takter, benefitted from a pocket trip behind her stablemate Pink Chou Chou and Yannick Gingras to shoot up the passing lane for the victory. Kendra notched her second win from seven seasonal starts for owners Black Horse Racing and Eric Good. The daughter of Walner out of Danish Girl pushed her lifetime bankroll to $158,600.

Voguish, trained by Andrew Harris and driven by David Miller,  sat third for much of the mile before utilizing a :26.2 closing kick to get up in the final strides of the mile and also reach the winner’s circle for the third time this season.

The daughter of Gimpanzee out of Jolene Jolene represents owners William Pollock, Bruce Areman, and Andrew Harris, and has now amassed $130,850 in lifetime purse earnings with three wins from seven starts.

The Phil Langley Memorial

French Kronos (Face Time Bourbon) capitalized on a pocket trip with driver Dexter Dunn to capture the $100,000 Phil Langley for three-year-old trotting colts. Greenspan (Todd McCarthy) cut the quarter in :27.3 with French Kronos tucked in behind to the half in :57. Dashing Danny (Kyle Wilfong) tried to get in contention on the turn, moving into third behind the lead duo at three-quarters in 1:25.4. Dunn tugged the right line at the top of the lane and French Kronos did the rest, trotting home in :26.4 to cross the wire 1-1/2 lengths in front of Greenspan. Dashing Danny held for the show spot.

Trained by Marcus Melander, the son of Face Time Bourbon-Arrow Kronos S has won four of 11 on the year for owners Heights Stable, Mantorp LLC, Rtl Racing Inc., and Holly Lane Stud East LTD. French Kronos has banked $154,596 following his fifth career victory.

The week of racing concludes at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Saturday, Sept. 21 with a 12-race card set to get underway at 7:00 p.m.

For more information on the 2024 live racing season, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Jacob Rheinheimer, for Harrah’s Hoosier Park