Harrah's Hoosier Park: Blackjack for On To Norway in Star Destroyer romp

On To Norway proved unstoppable once again as the Ron Burke trainee cruised in the $50,000 Star Destroyer for sophomore trotting colts and geldings on Friday (Nov. 14) at Harrah's Hoosier Park, notching his 21st consecutive victory and becoming the winningest horse in North America this year in the process.

Leaving from the rail in the scratched-down field of ten as the 1-9 favorite, driver John De Long put On To Norway into play early, securing the pocket trip on the first turn as Karinchak (Jordan Ross) raced on the engine through a 27 4/5 first quarter. De Long tipped On To Norway off the cones on the backstretch and chased him along to the lead, clearing just after reaching the halfway point in 55 4/5.

Once clear, De Long grabbed leather and bought On To Norway a 30 1/5 breather around the final turn, leading to three-quarters in 1:26. Once in the stretch, Karinchak continued to give chase and Gimpanzee Dancer (Marcus Miller) rallied from the backfield in the race for place as On To Norway coasted home an easy two length winner to stop the clock in 1:54. Karinchak did hold sway to just edge out Gimpanzee Dancer for the place spot.

Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, Black And White Stable and Michael Rosenthal, On To Norway ($2.20) has banked $585,844 on the season with a sophomore record of 21-1-0 from 22 starts. Bred by Bennett Farms Inc. of MI, the Muscle Massive-One Class Act gelding surpassed $600,000 in lifetime earnings with the win and broke the tie with 13-year-old pacer Music To My Gears for the most wins racked up in 2025. On To Norway still has two starts left in his 3-year-old campaign, with planned appearances in the Bally's Randy (Nov. 21) and Thanksgiving Classic (Nov. 28) - both at Harrah's Hoosier Park.

The win was one of five on the night for driver John De Long, who also steered Can'ttouchthese to victory in the $51,900 Star Destroyer for pacing fillies. Can'ttouchthese ($7.20) went first-over in the middle-half before fending off Send It Down Slim (Jordan Ross) by a neck on the wire in 1:51 1/5 for the win. Tabby De Long trains the homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-Can't Touch This for owners William and Patrick De Long and Douglas Riccolo.

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De Long also teamed up with trainer Henry Graber Jr. to take the second $26,850 split of the Star Destroyer for trotting fillies with Miracle Maven ($4.00), who grinded first-over before crushing by 4 1/4 lengths over Fifty To Win (Marcus Miller) in 1:55. The 2025 Indiana Sire Stakes champion daughter of Don't Let'em-Bad Babysitter has compiled a 3-year-old record of 14-8-3-2 and earnings of $382,107 for owners Hillside Stables, Indiana Stables, Frank Baldachino and Beasty LLC.

Divine Thing (3.00) converted a pocket trip into a 1:54 2/5 victory in the first division for trotting fillies as one of five winners on the night as well for leading driver Trace Tetrick. Trained by Steve Carter, the daughter of Greenshoe-A Thing Goin On has won five of 16 this season for owner Jay Mossbarger, good for seasonal earnings of $174,782.

Tetrick gave Caviart Seacrest ($5.20) a pocket steer in the $28,200 first division for pacing colts and geldings, scampering up the cones for the victory by 1 1/2 lengths over Banderas (Marcus Miller) in 1:52. Trained by Garry Merner Jr., the Tall Dark Stranger-Caviart Sailor gelding is yet to finish worse than second in 11 tries this year, winning seven times and banking $87,697 for owners Jamie Copley and Darrien and Duane Tingley.

De Long put an exclamation point on the stakes action on the night with Harrisburg Heist ($3.60), a dominant 2 1/2 length winner on the front-end in the $28,500 second division for pacing colts and geldings in 1:50 3/5 over Extra Suds (Tetrick). Ron Burke trains the Ohio champion gelded son of Downbytheseaside-Cashaway for owners Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi. Harrisburg Heist has won 11 of 20 this year for earnings of $476,487.

The week of racing concludes at Harrah's Hoosier Park with a 13-race program on Saturday (Nov. 15) with a first post of 5:30 p.m. (EST).

For more information on the 2025 live racing season at Harrah's Hoosier Park, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

--press release (Harrah's Hoosier Park)--