Hoosier Park: Swandre The Giant now perfect in six attempts

Swandre The Giant improved his record to six wins from six starts behind a 1:54 3/5 tally in a $24,000 Indiana Sires Stakes elimination for 2-year-old male trotters on Saturday night at Hoosier Park. It's A Herbie would win the other elimination.

Driven by his trainer Brandon Bates, Swandre The Giant led his ten rivals through panels of 28 2/5, 57 2/5, and 1:27, then trotted away in the final quarter, defeating Sign Here N Here (Sam Widger) by 6 3/4 lengths. Swan Before All (Peter Wrenn) came in third.

Panic Stable LLC., Terry Ehardt, Brian Hochman, and Richard Barone own Swandre The Giant, a $17,000 Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale buy who has banked $112,000 to go with his undefeated record. Bred by DM Stables LLC., he is out of the Valley Victor mare Adagio (1:57, $216,330). Swandre The Giant was the 1-9 favorite and paid $2.10 across the board.

In the second Indiana Sires Stakes elimination, Lite Years Away (Lewayne Miller) had control at the 27 2/5 opening quarter and the 56 2/5 half, but then he jumped it off early on the first turn, leaving Smooth Aceleration (John De Long) on the point and It's A Herbie (Verlin Yoder) first-up in second at the 1:26 3/5 three-quarters. It's A Herbie would overtaken Smooth Aceleration in upper stretch, and he would go on to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:55 1/5. Trump This (Widger) came on for runner-up honors ahead of Smooth Aceleration.

Yoder also owns and trains It's A Herbie, a Here Comes Herbie colt. It's A Herbie broke his maiden in his sixth opportunity, and he has now earned $56,900. Bred by David Schmucker Jr., It's A Herbie was a $22,000 acquisition at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale and is out of the Balanced Image mare Psychic Image (2:00 3/5, $41,581). It's A Herbie, who started from a trailing post 11, was the 3-5 favorite and returned $3.20 to win.