Ponda Adventure turned in another dominant performance at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Thursday (Aug. 25) as the three-year-old trotting colt sensation continued his winning ways in the co-featured event of the evening, a $48,000 split of the Indiana Sires Stakes. 

With regular pilot Trace Tetrick in the bike, Ponda Adventure utilized his customary gate-to-wire tactics to score by three-parts of a length in 1:53.1 over Swan Flyer and driver Jay Cross. With the win, Ponda Adventure remains undefeated in eight starts this season and is now 16 for 18 lifetime. 

Leaving from post two, Ponda Adventure stepped away from the gate to grab the early lead through an opening panel in :27.4. Ponda Adventure went uncontested through splits of :56.2 and 1:25.1 while the rest of the field remained in single file order. Using a :28 final quarter, Ponda Adventure was able to keep the pocket-sitting Swan Flyer at bay to get the victory. 

With the win, Ponda Adventure has now amassed $453,912 in lifetime purse earnings for his ownership connections of Engel Stable, L. A. Willinger, and J. D. Graham. The gelded son of Swan For All—Wildflower was bred by Pond-A-Acres. Ponda Adventure’s victory was one of two driving victories for Trace Tetrick.

In the first division of the stakes action, it was Swan Captain who pulled off a 7-1 upset to score in a new lifetime best of 1:52.1. With driver John DeLong in the bike, Swan Captain found late racing room in the lane to track down the pace-setting Dover In Motion (Ricky Macomber Jr.) to get the win by three lengths. 

Trained by Roger Welch, Swan Captain has now won four of 12 starts this season and pushed his lifetime bankroll to $169,925. Owned in partnership by W.C. DeLong, W.P. DeLong, and G.C. Wright, the son of Swan For All—Yoga recorded his fifth lifetime victory from 20 trips behind the gate. 

Indiana Sires Stakes action will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday (Aug. 26) with one $97,000 division for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings highlighting the 14-race card. 

(Hoosier)