Harrah's Hoosier Park: Indiana's best determined on Champions Night

Indiana's very best put on a show as 11 new Indiana Sire Stakes champions were crowned as part of Hoosier Champions Night at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Friday, Oct. 9. Over $2.4 million in purses were on the line, headlined by the eight $250,000 Super Finals for 2- and 3-year-olds.

Two-year-old Filly Trot

Using the pocket trip to perfection, Redice, with Atlee Bender in the bike for trainer Erv Miller, utilized the cover of stablemate Ponda Crystal (Marcus Miller) to score the win in the first Super Final of the night.

Redice was out of the gate in post three, allowing Ponda Crystal to take the lead to the first quarter in 28 1/5, and the pair continued their reign to the halfway mark in 58 3/5. Fine Wine (Jay Cross) maneuvered on the outside, moving into third, but Ponda Crystal remained in control of the 10-horse field as Fine Wine lingered in second at the three-quarters in 1:27 4/5. Raging with trot off the perfect trip, Redice was set to pounce when Ponda Crystal began to drift wide in the lane, opening up the way for Redice, who was a three length winner in 1:55 3/5. Fine Wine (Jay Cross) held for second, while Twister Sister (Tim Tetrick) rallied along the cones for third at 22-1.

The Rebuff-Fuzzy Dice filly is owned by Ervin Miller Stables Inc, Anhony Lombardi and Stepbystep Racing. Redice made a large deposit into her lifetime earnings account to hit $303,600. Redice was bred by Kjell Magne Andersen, Lucas Wallin and Pieter Delis and paid $3.60 to win.

Two-year-old Colt/Gelding Pace

Taking down the heavy favorite Mr Bear, Tell Me It's You shot out of a cannon from the pocket as John De Long steered Tell Me It's You to the winner's circle for trainer Alvin Miller.

Tell Me It's You started from post five, with Mr Bear (Marcus Miller) to his outside in post six. Tell Me It's You crossed over to the cones before he released Mr Bear to the lead just after a quarter of 26 4/5. The pair cruised to the half in 55 3/5 before Mr Bear marched to three-quarters in 1:24 2/5 with Tell Me It's You bump-drafting the Miller helmet. Tell Me It's You peeled out from behind Mr Bear and got down to business in the lane, snatching the lead with a wicked 25 4/5 final stanza to smash the wire in 1:50 3/5 while clear by two lengths. Mr Bear was clear in second as This Captain Rocks (Yannick Gingras) rallied for third at 91-1.

A Tellitlikeitis-Kitty Hoyne gelding, Tell Me It's You is owned by Alvin Miller, Twila Harts and Marvin Schwartz and nearly doubled his lifetime earnings to $274,350. Bred by Oakwood Farms, Tell Me It's You earned his fifth win in 10 tries while paying out $4.60 for the victory.

Two-year-old Filly Pace

Fitterjake, driven by Scott Zeron for trainer Aaron Stutzman, wired the field in another impressive display as she crushed in the lone sub-1:50 clocking on the evening.

Fitterjake was in her familiar post one out of the wings, fighting off any opportunity of advancements as Owleo's Pride (Dexter Dunn) settled in behind the leader through the first quarter in 27 2/5. Fitterjake and Owleo's Pride led the unchanged field to the halfway mark in 56 seconds, but the tempo quickened on the final turn, with Owleo's Pride out and at the leader's wheel as they cruised to three-quarters in 1:23 2/5. Fitterjake took off from there, pacing home in 26 2/5 as she sprinted away by 2 3/4 lengths on the wire in 1:49 4/5. Jk's Fast (John De Long) was the quickest down the stretch from fifth to snag second, while Owleo's Pride settled for third.

The Hoosier Park 2-year-old filly pace co-track holder has won six of her seven starts, totaling $292,875 in lifetime earnings. Owned and bred by James Miller, the Jk Endofanera-For Sharks Sake filly paid $3 for the victory.

Three-year-old Filly Trot

Overcoming the far outside post nine, Bluebird Kazoom went wire-to-wire to take the sophomore filly trot with driver Jordan Ross aboard for trainer Henry Graber Jr.

The complexion of the race changed quickly when 3-5 favorite Fresh Face Yankee jumped it off at the start, while Bluebird Kazoom blasted off the wings to cross over in front of Help Cum Laude (Atlee Bender) and take the fillies to the first quarter in a quick 27 1/5. Bluebird Kazoom remained in charge at the half in 56 seconds before For Dayze (John De Long) moved first-over and moved alongside the leader at three-quarters in 1:24 4/5. The two fillies slugged it out from there, with Bluebird Kazoom getting the better of it late to reach the wire 1 1/2 lengths clear over For Dayze in 1:53. Help Cum Laude held for the show spot, 3 3/4 lengths behind the winner.

The 3-year-old rookie daughter of Swan For All-Stella Kemp has won 12 of 15 on the year, racking up earnings of $320,350 for owners Hillside Stables, Indiana Stable, Hickory Hollow Stables and Michael Rosenthal. The filly was bred by Delvin Miller, Kenneth Bontrager and Daryl Miller, and paid $6.80 to win at the windows.

Three-year-old Filly Pace

Whoomp has now served as Indiana Sire Stakes champion at ages two and three, as she decimated the field of sophomore pacing fillies by open lengths for the team of John De Long and Roger Welch.

Away from post two as the 3-1 second choice, Whoomp and arch-rival Somemore Blue (Marcus Miller) dropped the gloves early, with Whoomp stinging Somemore Blue to the opening quarter in 26 3/5. Somemore Blue had things her way to the half in 55 2/5 before Whoomp was back out for more on the final turn, getting nose-to-nose with Somemore Blue as the fillies reached three-quarters as a team in 1:24 3/5. Whoomp quickly put away that foe at the head of the lane, moving away from the field as she went on to score by 4 3/4 lengths in 1:51 1/5. Keeps Miss Dixie (Brandon Bates) navigated traffic to be second at 162-1, with Klorox Queen (Trace Tetrick) rounding out the trifecta at 36-1.

A homebred for William and Patrick De Long, who co-own with Jesse De Long, Whoomp has won five of 11 on the year for seasonal earnings of $392,250, having been no worse than second this year. The daughter of Rockin Image-Nightcap was won 13 of 24 lifetime, good for career earnings of $741,851.

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Two-year-old Colt/Gelding Trot

Fifty And Famous overcame starting from the second tier and a long overland journey en route to a score with Trace Tetrick in the sulky for trainer Luis Quevedo.

Leaving from post ten, Fifty And Famous was away sixth in the early stages while Nectar Of The Gods (Mike Micallef) charged to an early lead through an opening quarter of 27 4/5. So Joyful (John De Long) brushed to the lead on the backstretch, clearing just after a half of 57 1/5 while Tetrick squeezed off the cones to follow that move on the backstretch. Left first-over on the final turn, Fifty And Famous and So Joyful hooked up at the three-quarter pole in 1:26. Battling at the head of the lane, Fifty And Famous continued to wear down the leader before trotting clear by 2 1/2 lengths to score in 1:54 3/5. So Joyful held for second, with Nectar Of The Gods finishing third.

Fifty And Famous is a John Barnard homebred son of Fiftydallarbill-Dance To Fame who has won three of his last and four of seven on the year. The colt boasts a career bankroll of $193,350 following his super final score.

Three-year-old Colt/Gelding Trot

In the biggest upset of the evening, Nighthawk Zette shook loose late to take a wild one at 39-1 with trainer LeWayne Miller in the bike.

Nighthawk Zette was away fourth from post three as Tuggin Thomas (Trace Tetrick) quickly crossed over to take the field of ten to the opening station in 27 2/5. Tuggin Thomas came under fire in the middle stages, with a parked and pressing Dan D Man Can (Atlee Bender) applying pressure through middle fractions of 55 4/5 and 1:24 2/5. Tuggin Thomas jumped it off at the head of the lane, leading LeWayne Miller to act swiftly and have to swing off the rail from third in line and give chase to Dan D Man Can. Despite the interference, Nighthawk Zette took flight late with a 28 4/5 last quarter to sweep clear by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:54 1/5. Dan D Man Can was a valiant second after having not seen the cones, with Inverness Ave (Kevin Lambright) finishing third.

After going winless in six tries at two, Nighthawk Zette has won seven of 17 on the year while banking $215,730 in 2026. Cozette McAvoy bred the Swan For All-Zette Starlet who was an $8,000 Harrisburg yearling purchase for owners L&S Racing, Lyndar Stables and Richard Freese. Nighthawk Zette paid $81 to win.

Three-year-old Colt/Gelding Pace

Swiss Lights shook loose in the nick of time to win in a photo over Odds On Mr Mamba in an action-packed tilt for Trace Tetrick and trainer Jeff Cullipher.

Leaving from post four, Swiss Lights charged to an early lead before being immediately challenged by Door Dash (Yannick Gingras), who held a narrow advantage on the outside to trip the timer at the opening quarter in a hot 26 1/5. No sooner than Door Dash worked around Swiss Lights to clear, Odds On Mr Mamba (Pete Wrenn) charged from third to grab a short-lived lead before Dancingdreamer (Dexter Dunn) continued his overland journey and moved alongside at the half in 53 4/5. Wrenn released Dancingdreamer to the lead, before Door Dash was back out for more and at the leader's throat in three-quarters in 1:22 2/5 while Swiss Lights was buried third in line along the cones.

Dancingdreamer drifted off the cones, giving clearance to Odds On Mr Mamba, who fired through to grab the lead midway through the lane before Tetrick pointed Swiss Lights to a narrow gap between the retreating Dancingdreamer and Door Dash. Squeezing through the opening, Swiss Lights was fed racetrack just in time to nail Odds On Mr Mamba by a head on the wire in 1:50 2/5. What Nooo Waaay (John De long) was just three-parts of a length back in third at 39-1 to round out the trifecta.

Owned by trainer Jeff Cullipher and Pollack Racing, Swiss Lights has won six of 13 on the year, hitting the board in every try while banking $365,422. Merlie Schwartz bred the Rockin Image-Shes Lights Out gelding who has won nine of 22 lifetime, pushing his career bankroll to $477,498. Swiss Lights paid $7.20 to win.

Aged Finals

In the evening's opener, On To Norway ($2.20), driven by John De Long for trainer Ron Burke, did the unthinkable by winning the $75,000 ISS Aged Horses and Geldings final after an early break left him 16 lengths behind the winner at the quarter. He prevailed in 1:52 and by a head over Revin For Dallars (Jordan Ross).

No stranger to the winner's circle at Hoosier Park, the Muscle Massive gelding is owned by Burke Racing Stables LLC., Frank Baldachino, Black and White Stable and Michael Rosenthal. Bred by Bennett Farms Inc of MI, On To Norway has racked up $1,287,131 in lifetime earnings on 38 wins.

In a dominant display in race four's mare pace, Lyin' Eyes ($7.20) piloted by Joey Putnam for trainer Joe Putnam cruised to the victory in 1:50 4/5 and by 1 1/4 lengths over the favored Can'ttouchthese (John De Long). The 5-year-old daughter of Odds On Equuleus-Miswave Hanover has won three straight for owners J P Racing, LLC., Joey Putnam and Crazy Parrot Farm. Bred by Silver Linden Farm, Lyin' Eyes accumulated $591,021 in lifetime earnings.

Closing out the finals on the card, Little Rocket Man ($8.80), driven by Kyle Wilfong for trainer Ken Rucker, turned back the clock, striking home late to beat out Rock Shines Again (Trace Tetrick) by a neck in 1:50 1/5 in the older male pace. The double millionaire, Little Rocket Man increased his lifetime earnings to $2,129,684 and notched career victory 89 in the process. Little Rocket Man is owned by Russell Beeman and Jack Beeman. The three-time Indiana Sire Stakes champion and son of Rockin Image-GT Miss Royal was bred by Victory Hill Farm Inc.

The week of racing concludes at Harah's Hoosier Park on Saturday, Oct. 11 with a 14-race program set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. (EDT). There remains one final Indiana Sire Stakes champion to be crowned on the year, as the $75,000 Mare Trot will serve as a non-betting race before the main card at 5:15 p.m.

For more information on the 2026 live racing season, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.

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