Harrah's Hoosier Park: Rockin Nola rules again on Champions Night

For the fifth straight year Rockin Nola won an Indiana Sires Stakes final by taking her $76,000 tilt for pacing mares on Friday night at Harrah's Hoosier Park in 1:49 3/5.

Driven by Joey Putnam, Rockin Nola led through fast fractions of 25 2/5, 53 1/5, and 1:21 1/5 but had a 28 2/5 kicker left in her to prevail by a length and a quarter over a gaining Hot Mess Express (John De Long). Maggie Rhee (Mike Oosting) came in third.

A 6-year-old daughter of Rockin Image, Rockin Nola is trained by Joe Putnam for owners J P Racing LLC. and Sutton's Bay Racing. Rockin Nola won for the 38th time overall, and she has now pocketed $877,617. She paid $11.20 to win as the 9-2 third choice.

That was one of three sires stakes finals for older Hoosier State-sired competitors on the program. In the $70,000 clash for trotting mares, Ima Diamond Babe (Atlee Bender) had a second-over trip and charged by ER Kim (Bradley Ferguson), who had posted panels of 27 1/5, 55 3/5, and 1:24 3/5, to score by a length in 1:54. Sly Little Fox (Trace Tetrick) got third.

Trained by James Yoder for Cheyenne Yoder, Ima Diamond Babe is a 4-year-old mare by Guccio. Ima Diamond Babe made her ninth appearance in the winner's circle, pushed her earnings to $275,934, and returned $9.80 to win as the 7-2 third choice.

In the $70,000 final for horse and gelding pacers, Tellmeaboutit (Oosting) hit the front beyond the 26 second opening quarter, kept command through middle-half splits of 53 4/5 and 1:21 1/5, and used a 27 3/5 last quarter to score by a length and a quarter in 1:48 4/5. Brookview Bullet (Jordan Ross) rallied from sixth to second in the final half, and Little Rocket Man (De Long) got up for third.

Tellmeaboutit is a 6-year-old Tellitlikeitis gelding co-owned by trainer Alvin Miller in partnership with Twila Harts. Tellmeaboutit has a record of 26-23-18 from 85 lifetime tries, has banked $797,765, and paid $4.20 to win as the even-money favorite.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

The $70,000 horse and gelding trot saw Breckenridge (Dan Shetler) in the lead at the 27 2/5 opening quarter, but Bluebird Yoshi (Peter Wrenn) then moved from third to first racing to the 56 2/5 half. Bluebird Yoshi managed to fend off a first-over bid by Predator And Prey (Dexter Dunn) on the way to the 1:25 1/5 three-quarters, but Predator And Prey moved into the lead in the upper part of the stretch and then pulled clear to a 1 3/4 length victory in 1:53 4/5. Bluebird Yoshi held on for second ahead of Simply Swan (Putnam).

Michael Hitchcock trains Predator And Prey, a 4-year-old gelded son of Guccio, for owner H & H Stable. Predator And Prey now has 12 career triumphs, has stashed away $257,190, and returned $6.00 to win as the 2-1 choice.