Harrah's Hoosier Park: Indiana standout Swan Good Bi improves to seven-for-seven

The sixth and final leg of Indiana Sire Stakes and an advance of Hoosier Champions Night for both the two-year-old trotting males and fillies was contested on Tuesday, Sept. 29, with Peter Haughton Memorial champion Swan Good Bi headlining the five stakes winners and remaining undefeated through seven starts to begin his career for Jordan Ross and Henry Graber Jr.

In the $47,000 second split for trotting colts and geldings, Swan Good Bi and Ponda Cheetah (Marcus Miller) teed off quickly with Ponda Cheetah using the rail to his advantage as Swan Good Bi, from post three, chased in second at the first quarter in 28 4/5. Swan Good Bi didn't let the lead last long, hitting back on the backstretch to reach the half-mile marker in front in 58 4/5. Steppinouttohelp (Robert Taylor) then went on the advance on the outside from fourth, but Swan Good Bi stayed cool at the front, passing the three-quarters in 1:28. In the homestretch, it was smooth sailing for Swan Good Bi, as Ross was a passenger to the wire in 1:56, prevailing by 1 1/4 lengths. Ponda Cheetah cruised to the place, while Steppinouttohelp finished strong to show.

The victorious Swan For All gelding is owned by Indiana Stables LLC., Frank Baldachino, Michael Rosenthal and James Zito. Swan Good Bi was bred by Ernie Lambright and increased his lifetime bank account to $344,300.

Fifty And Famous, driven by Trace Tetrick for trainer Luis Quevedo, dominated the nine-horse field in the $47,500 first division for trotting colts and geldings earlier in the card, booking his trip to the winner's circle with a career-best effort.

Facing an uphill battle out of the gate, Fifty And Famous navigated the field from post eight, as he was pushed far outside at the turn. Meanwhile, Swan Ace (Lewayne Miller) held the inside advantage on Fifty And Famous, who was left on the outside in third, while Swan Ace earned the top spot at the quarter in 28 1/5. Getting up to the outside of Swan Ace after cruising past Nectar Of The Gods (Mike Micallef) and Heffae (Lamar Wingard), Fifty and Famous continued to use the early burners, finally cementing his place at the helm before the halfway point in 56 4/5. Nearing the final turn, Fifty And Famous lengthened the gap to second before hitting three-quarters in 1:26 1/5. Despite early pressure in the mile, Fifty And Famous did not allow for a wild finish as he dismantled the field by six lengths in 1:54 1/5. Heffae got up for second, while Copperstone (John De Long) rallied for third.

Fifty And Famous is owned and was bred by John Barnard. The Fiftydallarbill colt boosted his lifetime earnings to $68,350 with his third win of the season.

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Staying hot, So Joyful, driven by John De Long for trainer Ernie Gaskin, impressed in the final quarter to take the final $47,000 division for the rookie trotting colts and geldings.

Slotted into post four, So Joyful hunkered in behind the spry Mendoza Mafia (Atlee Bender), who gunned to the early lead through the first quarter in 27 4/5. Royal Response (Markus Niklasson) also left but was hung out to dry on the outside, falling to the back of the field as Mendoza Mafia led the field past the halfway pole in 57 3/5. Rounding the turn, Royal Response was the first to act, bouncing to the outside, but Mendoza Mafia held through three-quarters in 1:27 1/5. So Joyful popped out off the perfect pocket trip in the lane before passing Mendoza Mafia with ease, tallying by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:55 3/5. Mendoza Mafia was able to hold for second, while Ponda Solve responded in the stretch for third.

So Joyful tallied his fifth win of the season and has deposited $126,203 into his account. The Rebuff colt was bred by Luckiana Farm and Aaron Stutzman. So Joyful is owned by All-Wright Racing, Brian Code and James Nellinger.

In the two splits for 2-year-old trotting fillies, a pair who were on the outside looking in on points stamped their spot into the $250,000 final on Hoosier Champions Night, with Ponda Crystal being the first of the two after pulling an 8-1 upset with Atlee Bender aboard in the opener of the two $67,000 splits.

Away from the outside post seven, Ponda Crystal floated away into third early while Gladden (Trace Tetrick) took the field to the first quarter in 28 3/5. The 1-5 favorite, Fine Wine (Jay Cross), popped the pocket and asserted herself to the lead on the backstretch, reaching the halfway point in 58 seconds. Ican Hardly Wait (Kevin Lambright) moved first-over on the turn, leaving Ponda Crystal trapped along the cones while Fine Wine guided the fillies to three-quarters in 1:28 1/5. Fine Wine came under fire in the lane, with Gladden taking aim along the cones before Ponda Crystal shook loose to the outside of the favorite late. Sprinting home in 27 3/5, Ponda Crystal got up in the shadow of the wire and won by three-parts of a length in 1:56 2/5. Fine Wine held second, with Gladden finishing third.

Trained by Erv Miller, Ponda Crystal has won four of seven on the year, banking $56,280. The daughter of Temporal Hanover-Aperfectcrystal was bred by Pond-A-Acres, and is owned by Never 2 Late Stable, Stepbystep Racing and Andy Willinger.

In the second division, Swan Jocelyn made her career debut a winning one, gobbling up ground late to score with Trace Tetrick in the sulky for trainer Ron Burke.

Tetrick took back the first-time starter early, settling in sixth on the first turn while Dance Remix (Jordan Ross) trotted to the point in 28 seconds. Swan Jocelyn went unchallenged to the half in 57 1/5 before Twister Sister (James Yoder) started first-over into third on the far turn at three-quarters in 1:26 4/5 while Swan Jocelyn was still yet to shift from the cones in fifth. The field began to swarm Dance Remix in the lane, with Help My Heart (John De Long) charging along the cones and Swan Jocelyn moving to the wide side and beginning to roll with five lengths to make up midway through the stretch. Trotting home in 28 1/5, Swan Jocelyn methodically picked off her foes in the lane, rallying to win by a length over Help My Heart in 1:56 3/5. Miss Kriss (Marcus Miller) rallied from the backfield to snag the show dough at 48-1.

Swan Jocelyn swiftly deposited $33,500 in the bank after her career debut for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Frank Baldachino and Michael Rosenthal. Oakwood Farms bred the winning daughter of Swan For All-Southwind Sauna.

Live racing continues on Wednesday, September 30 with a 14-race program set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. (EDT). Two-year-old pacing fillies and 3-year-old trotting fillies will step into the spotlight with a pair of divisions for each in their last leg of Indiana Sire Stakes on the card. Hoosier Champions Night is slated for Friday, Oct. 10, featuring the eight $250,000 Super Finals for 2- and 3-year-old divisions, to go along with the four $70,000 aged finals.

On the wagering side, the Wednesday card will feature a carryover of $11,151 in the early High 5 (race seven), to go along with the $10,000 guaranteed pools in the late Pick 4 (races 11-14) and late High 5 (race 14) offered in partnership with the USTA's Strategic Wagering Program.

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