Harrah's Hoosier Park: R Dutchess tackles the boys in Caesars Trotting Classic

The 2026 edition of the Grade 2 Caesars Trotting Classic is a rare stakes event in that of the eight horses named for Friday's $200,000 race at Harrah's Hoosier Park, three from trainer Ron Burke's powerful stable enter the race following losses. Adding a different dimension to the field is the first attempt by the 4-year-old mare R Dutchess to race with the boys, as trainer John Butenschoen tries to navigate the schedule and have his Father Patrick-sired mare set up nicely for a major fall campaign.

"We did make her eligible," Butenschoen stated, acknowledging that R Dutchess was the lone female to be nominated. "We had a decision to make whether to send her to Delaware for the Miss Versatility (September 24 at the Delaware County Fair) or come to this race. Being that she's a big mare and loves the long stretch, we opted for Hoosier."

The decision puts R Dutchess in against seven males with post five for driver Tim Tetrick. Though Butenschoen suggests that his ambition was to give R Dutchess the start necessary in preparation for the $250,000 Dayton Distaff (October 3) at Dayton Raceway, the Caesars Trotting Classic could prove to be R Dutchess' date with destiny as she brings impeccable form into the field, while some of the others are struggling to find theirs.

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"We took her shoes off for the Kentucky Sire Stakes (August 25 at The Red Mile), and she went a big trip winning in 1:50 2/5," said Butenschoen about the race that broke R Dutchess out of a slump. "She'd been racing well all season long but kept on getting stuck with outside draws and impossible trips."

R Dutchess returned to the Meadowlands for a leg of the Miss Versatility on September 4 but lacked her usual punch, coming overland into a quick final-half.

"She bled slightly. I'd say a two on a scale of one to 10," said Butenschoen of the Miss Versatility start.

In the Girl Power at the Meadowlands on September 11, R Dutchess returned with Lasix and raced with aluminum shoes in front, replacing the steel she had previously raced with. Tim Tetrick guided her to the biggest win of the season when R Dutchess blew past her rivals in the $188,200 contest. R Dutchess had spent many trips this year racing from off-the-pace, but in the Girl Power she showed her versatility, leaving in a 26 2/5 opening quarter and still having the strength to trot home in 27 4/5 to defeat a group of classy mares that included Hambletonian Oaks winner Warrawee Michelle and Yo Tillie.

On Friday, R Dutchess will be making her 41st career start and first over the Hoosier Park seven-eighths mile surface. She's finished first or second 21 times over a three-year span.

"I don't think much has changed with her," said Butenschoen. "She's been a quality mare throughout. She's probably a little bigger and stronger."

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R Dutchess faces a difficult task considering this year's edition of the Caesars Trotting Classic includes the defending champion Lexus Kody (post seven), as well as third-place finisher French Wine (post two). In 2025 Lexus Kody finished in a dead-heat in the race, which was his first start after capturing the MGM International Trot at Yonkers. This year Lexus Kody returns to Hoosier Park following a sixth-place finish in the International that was the result of a break in stride.

On To Norway (post three) returns to his favorite oval for the Caesars Trotting Classic but does so following a rare defeat. The Ron Burke-trained 4-year-old miscued in the Grade 2 Charlie Hill Memorial at Scioto Downs on September 12 but recovered well enough to finish a distant second to Emoticons Legacy. Yannick Gingras drove the 4-year-old gelded son of Muscle Massive, but John De Long returns to the bike on Friday with Gingras piloting Antognoni S, a horse he co-owns along with trainer Ron Burke.

Antognoni S started from the second tier in the International and made a break in the early stages, losing all chance. Prior to that he was a solid fourth in the Grade 1 Maple Leaf Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park on September 5 from post 10. Since coming to the U.S. Antognoni S has won 22 times in 35 starts over the last two years. He took his 1:50 4/5 career mark in the Maxie Lee at Harrah's Philadelphia in late May. The 6-year-old son of Father Patrick drew post four for the Casears Trotting Classic, race 12 of 15 on Friday's stakes-packed Hoosier Park program.

Ponda Jet (post one) hopes for better racing luck than last year when he finished sixth in this event for trainer Jay Hochstetler. A 16-time winner in 2025, Ponda Jet has been on the board in all 15 starts this year but has not faced a field with this talent.

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French Wine, last year's upset winner in the Breeders Crown Open division, has won just once in five tries this year for trainer Nancy Takter but clearly enters the Caesars in top form. Most recently, French Wine pushed Super Chapter to the limit but settled for second in the Maple Leaf Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Rounding out the field of eight will be Aetos Kronos S (post six) and Gimpanzee Dancer (post eight). The former has gone winless this year in nine starts but hit the board five times for top trainer Marcus Melander. A 10-year-old by Bold Eagle, Aetos Kronos S finished second behind French Wine in a Maple Leaf Trot elimination. Gimpanzee Dancer has won eight of his 15 starts this year but has struggled when challenging the top class in this division.

First post time is 5:30 p.m. (EDT) for the Hoosier Park Friday program, with co-features including the $175,000 Hoosier Pacing Derby, the $285,000 Kentucky Stallion Management Stakes for 2-year-old trotting fillies and the $200,000 Kentucky Stallion Management Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies.