Harrah's Hoosier Park: Trio of rookie trotters impress in Indiana Sire Stakes

The second leg of Indiana Sire Stakes action for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters headlined at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Thursday (July 23), with Swan Good Bi, driven by Jordan Ross for trainer Henry Graber Jr., tasting victory first in his $46,000 flight in race four. Later, Nectar Of The Gods won in a thriller for $46,000 in the eighth race. Meanwhile, in race 11, the longest shot on the board Temporal Power stunned in his $45,500 split.

Working from last out of the outside post eight, Swan Good Bi kept the action in front of him while Copperstone (Lewayne Miller) flew through the first quarter in 27 seconds, leaving the rest of the nine-horse field to play catch up. The lead would not last long as the revved-up Copperstone went off-stride, leaving the door open for Munich (Markus Niklasson) to steal his spot on top on the backstretch. Munich's advantage lasted just as long as Copperstone's as a parked-and-pressing High Honor Role (Kiwon Waldron) stole the show, climbing to the lead at the halfway point in 57 seconds.

Munich and the post time favorite So Joyful posed the immediate threat, with Swan Good Bi still seventh on the far turn. High Honor Role remained the narrow leader to the three-quarters in 1:27 before So Joyful bounded to the lead from first-over. Trotters began to swarm the new leader with a host of challengers fanning out four-across the track. Swan Good Bi was widest of all, rocketing home in 26 4/5 to reach the wire first by three-quarters of a length in 1:55 2/5. Ponda Cheetah (Marcus Miller) rallied to second, while Munich rebounded for third.

The victorious Swan For All-Bange Bi gelding remained perfect in two starts, increasing his lifetime earnings to $29,000. Swan Good Bi is owned by Indiana Stables LLC., Frank Baldachino, Michael Rosenthal and James Zito. Bred by Ernie Lambright, Swan Good Bi paid $9.00 to win.

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Winning a heavyweight battle down the stretch, Nectar Of The Gods, driven and trained by Mike Micallef, claimed victory in the next section.

From post three, Nectar Of The Gods, alongside the post time favorite to his right (Ponda Solve), were out the quickest, with Ponda Solve winning the early battle to the first turn in 28 4/5. Ponda Solve maintained his lead over the unchanged eight-horse field through the halfway mark in 58 4/5, tightly followed by Nectar Of The Gods and Kountry Dion (Kyle Wilfong). Rounding the final turn to three-quarters in 1:28 2/5, Ponda Solve and Nectar Of The Gods separated from the rest, gearing up for a final battle on the homestretch. Trading blows the entirety of the lane, Nectar Of The Gods out-slugged Ponda Solve in a photo at the wire in 1:56 3/5. Mendoza Mafia (Atlee Bender) rallied late to round out the trifecta.

The winning Temporal Hanover-Goddess colt is owned by Bet The House LLC. and was bred by Steve Jones. Nectar Of The Gods boosted his lifetime earnings to $49,250 for his second straight win in INSS bouts. Nectar Of The Gods paid $7.80 to win.

Paying $71.40 to win, Temporal Power, driven by Joey Putnam for trainer Kristin Shetler, shocked the seven-horse field to win the final Indiana Sire Stakes trot.

Temporal Power settled into the middle of the field out of post four as Heffae (Lamar Wingard) rocketed to a five-length lead at the quarter in 27 3/5. Heffae's lead began to shrink on the backstretch, as a parked Steppinouttohelp (Robert Taylor) and Royal Response (Markus Niklasson), who was in the pocket, closed the gap to the half in 57 2/5. Heffae remained in control on the far turn, leading at three-quarters 1:26 4/5 as Royal Response reclaimed second inside of Steppinouttohelp.

Having not seen a pylon the entirety of the mile, Steppinouttohelp charged to the point midway through the lane before Temporal Power shook loose in the late stages, tracking that foe down with a 28 4/5 last quarter to win by a length in 1:56 4/5. Tipsy In Vegas (Jordan Ross) rallied from the backfield to be third.

Owned by Per Eriksson, Michael Midford, Michael Retherford and Pcw Racing LLC., Temporal Power posted his first career win and check for a lifetime earnings total of $22,750. The Temporal Hanover-Mystical Power colt was bred by Amos Schwartz.

The single $94,000 fifth leg event of the Indiana Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies occurs Friday (July 24). Whoomp looks to defend her turf against rival Somemore Blue, as the two fillies have finished first and second for three straight meetings. Friday's 14-race card features a $4,490 carryover in the Pick 6 in Race 4, a $10,000 guaranteed late Pick 5 with a $1,984 carryover, a $10,000 guaranteed late Pick 4, and a $10,000 guaranteed late Hoosier High 5 done in partnership with the USTA's Strategic Wagering Program.

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