Fresh off a dazzling 1:50.4 score in his career debut, Dancingdreamer backed that effort up with another decisive victory in the first leg of Indiana Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, July 11, while Swiss Lights changed tactics and raced from off the pace to score in the second division.    

Dancingdreamer and trainer/driver Aaron Stutzman were bet down to 1-9 in the first of two $89,865 splits, floating out from post five to land in fourth early while Fire Inside (Kyle Wilfong) left aggressively from the rail to cut the quarter in :28. 

Fire Inside brought the field of seven to the half in :56.1 when Stutzman moved the favourite off the cones. Dancingdreamer quickly powered alongside the leader on the turn, moving around the turn a little wide a half-length back in second to three-quarters in 1:23.4.

Stutzman gave Dancingdreamer a few taps of the whip at the top of the lane when the youngster quickly responded by powering clear. Pacing into a homestretch headwind, Dacingdreamer sprinted a last quarter of :27.2 to romp by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:51.1. Mystical Rock It (Trace Tetrick) rallied late to get by Fire Inside for second.

Dancingdreamer is owned by Illinois-based Desyllas Racing, William Beck and Jeffrey Eckburg. The $18,056 bargain buy from last fall’s Midwest Classic Mixed Sale is now two-for-two with earnings topping $55,000. Luckiana Farm bred the son of Rockin Image and Docs Diva.

In the second division, another son of Rockin Image won his second straight to start his career, as Swiss Lights and trainer/driver Ricky Macomber Jr. rallied late to win as the 2-1 second choice. 

Leaving from post two, Macomber wrestled Swiss Lights into third early while Aces And Cinches (Daryl Bontrager) raced to the top through an opening quarter of :27.3. The field was in straight alignment on the backstretch to the half in :56.2 with Aces And Cinches continuing to lead and 4-5 favourite JK The Great (Marcus Miller) on his back in the pocket. 

Macomber waited for Miller to move JK The Great around the turn to follow his cover while Aces And Cinches led to three-quarters in 1:25.3.

Turning for home, JK The Great powered to the lead with Swiss Lights still on the Miller helmet midway through the stretch. Swiss Lights ripped off cover at the eighth pole and began to eat into JK The Great’s lead late, pacing home in :26.3 to nail the favourite on the wire by a half-length in 1:52.4. Sogie (Atlee Bender) rallied for third at 38-1.

Swiss Lights, who now has more than $50,000 in earnings, is owned by Florida's Doug Overhiser along with Bermuda's Arnold Manders and Joseph Vieira. The gelded son of Rockin Image-Shes Lights Out was bred by Merlie Schwartz and purchased at the Hoosier Classic Sale for $37,500.

While the youngsters shined bright winning their second career races, the nine-year-old veteran Little Rocket Man went on to win his 75th career race in the $29,730 Open Pace. 

Mike Oosting drove the 1-9 favourite, who had to press on the lead after failing to find a seat in line through a quarter in :26 before clearing to the top through a blistering half of :53.2. Pressure immediately came to Little Rocket Man around the last turn, with Golden Bay N (Trace Tetrick) racing to the leader’s wheel through three-quarters in 1:21.3. The ageless wonder turned away the challenged before pacing home in :26.2 to manhandle the sextet in 1:48 to match the fastest mile of the 2025 meet thus far. He shares that honour with Alta Revelry N (John De Long), who finished three lengths behind in second to Little Rocket Man on Friday, while A Cool Moment (Joey Putnam) rallied for third.

Trained by Ken Rucker for Indiana owners Russ Beeman and Jack Freeman, Little Rocket Man has more than $2.06 million in career earnings. The son of Rockin Image-GT Miss Royal has now hit the board 100 times in his 128-start career.

Racing continues at Hoosier Park on Saturday, July 12 with a 14-race program set to begin at 6:15 p.m. The Saturday card features a pair of Indiana Sire Stakes divisions for the three-year-old pacing fillies. There will be a $1,767 carryover in the Early Pick 5 (Races 1-5) and $7,500 guaranteed pool in the Late Hoosier High 5 (Race 14).

(With files from Hoosier Park; photo of Dancingdreamer winning on July 11)