The top two and three-year-old trotters and pacers in the Hoosier state were in the spotlight at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday, August 2 to battle it out in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Finals.

Over $630,000 was up for grabs on the evening’s 14-race card and featured six $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes final for the two and three-year-old divisions.

The three-year-old trotting colts and geldings kicked off the action-packed evening and it was Swan Chase and driver John DeLong who found the winner’s circle for the second consecutive week. After winning his elimination last week, Swan Chase used a ground-saving trip to best his rivals by a length, scoring in a new lifetime best of 1:55.

Swan Chase and John DeLong capture the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings (Photo courtesy Linscott Photography)

Swan Chase sat third along the rail through splits of :28.3, :57.3 and 1:26.4 before utilizing a :27.4 final quarter to track down the heavily-favoured My Uncle Cuz and Don Harmon late in the lane. My Uncle Cuz had to settle for second-place honours while Double A Goldrush and Ross Leonard rallied gamely late in the lane to round out the trifecta.

“They gelded him a few weeks ago and I think that has really made a big difference in him,” DeLong noted after the victory. “He is a little more manageable this way and seems to be getting better with every start.”

Trained by William Crone, the son of Swan For All-Precisionist notched his sixth win from 11 seasonal outings. Owned by John Barnard, Swan Chase has now won nine of 22 lifetime outings while bankrolling $177,716 in lifetime purse earnings.

Satin Dancer, driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr., looked every bit the part of a 3-5 favourite in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for three-year-old trotting fillies, as she stopped the timer in 1:56.1. Benefitting from a pocket trip, Satin Dancer sat patiently through splits of :28, :57.3, and 1:27.1 before Wrenn Jr. gave her the green light. Utilizing a :28.3 final panel, Satin Dancer coasted on to the wire under a hand drive to finish a length in front of the front-running Ajessia and Doug Rideout.

Trained by Byron Hooley, Satin Dancer recorded her fifth win from eight seasonal outings. The daughter of Big Stick Lindy-Shaken Not Stirred is owned by Summit Pacing Acres LLC and now sports a lifetime bankroll of $368,808.

The three-year-old pacing fillies were up next and it was Rockin Serena and Peter Wrenn who pulled a mild 10-1 upset in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for three-year-old pacing fillies. Scoring in 1:52.1, Rockin Serena held off her rivals late in the lane to prevail in a tight photo and establish a new lifetime best in the process.

“I didn’t know how things would go in here as far as the trip was concerned,” Wrenn noted after the victory. “She’s a classy filly, still a little green, but that was a great trip for her. She really raced great tonight.”

Owned in partnership by Kales Co., Dolne Fm Services, S&R Racing Stables, and Wrenn Racing, Rockin Serena notched the second victory from eight trips behind the gate in 2017. The daughter of Rockin Image-Day Lily Hanover has won four of 13 lifetime outings while earning $117,205 in purse earnings.

Rock N Tony turned in a gritty performance to find the winner’s circle in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. With Trace Tetrick in the bike, Rock N Tony was able to overcome a long, first-over grind to wear down the heavily favoured Beckham’s Z Tam and Ricky Macomber Jr. late in the lane and stop the timer in 1:50.4.

Rock N Tony turned in a gritty performance to win the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for three-year-old colt pacers (Photo courtesy Linscott Photography)

“He’s all heart,” Tetrick noted after the victory. “Not the ideal trip, they rushed me early and I had to pull. He was able to overcome it and grinded all the way to the wire. He’s a very honest colt that loves his job.”

Trained by Erv Miller, the three-year-old gelded son of Rockin Image-Pandemonious recorded his fifth seasonal victory and eleventh lifetime win from 17 starts. Owned by Anthony Lombardi and Rocco Ruffolo, Rock N Tony pushed his lifetime earnings to $354,912 with the victory.

The two year-old fillies were in the spotlight in the very next race, and after a disqualification of the heavily-favoured Dee Rocks and Sam Widger, Ezpay and Brandon Bates were declared the winner in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for two-year-old pacing fillies. With a final time of 1:54, Ezpay found the winner’s circle for just the second time in her young career and established a new lifetime best in the process.

Trained by Pete Leu, who co-owns the filly with Heidi Estep, the daughter of Jeremes Jet-In The Red has now amassed $58,900 in purse earnings from five seasonal starts.

The freshmen pacing colts rounded out the stakes action for the evening, and with a winning streak on the line Shnitzledosomethin delivered as the heavy favourite in the $75,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Final for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. With regular pilot Peter Wrenn at the lines, Shnitzledosomethin turned a pocket trip into a 1:52.2 score. With the win, the rookie colt equalled his lifetime best and remains undefeated in four lifetime starts.

Shnitzledosomethin remains undefeated in stakes action at Hoosier Park in 2017 (Photo courtesy Linscott Photography)

“I knew I wanted to race him off a helmet tonight,” Wrenn said in the winner’s circle. “It couldn’t have worked out any better for us. He’s still learning and figuring everything out but he’s a nice, nice colt.”

Trained by Dylan Davis, the son of Fred And Ginger-Summer N Sand has now won all four of his lifetime outings. With the win, Shnitzledosomethin has bankrolled $67,250 in lifetime purse earnings for his connections of BFJ Stable, T. Lazzaro, E. Gold, and A. Basen.

Live racing at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will continue on Thursday, August 3 with a 14-race card. First-race post time will be at 6:30 p.m.

(Hoosier Park)