The Saturday, Nov. 22 program at Harrah’s Hoosier Park revolved around a pair of star mares making their final career starts. Kobes Gigi went out on top in the $30,986 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace, and M Ms Dream made her curtain call with a third-place finish behind Ponda Jet, who notched his fifth straight win in the $30,986 Open Trot.

Leaving from post three, Kobes Gigi and John De Long were sent away as the second choice in the wagering at 8-5. De long quickly put Kobes Gigi on the engine, going around Ron Burke stablemate Goo Goo Won (Atlee Bender) to cut the quarter in :27. The quintet raced single-file on the backstretch with Kobes Gigi reaching the half in :55.2 before she shifted gears and scooted away by 2-1/2 lengths at three-quarters in 1:23.2. The lead swelled midway through the lane before Kobes Gigi began to coast to the wire, stopping the timer in 1:50.3, 2-1/4 lengths the best. Anna Love N (Kyle Wilfong) rallied for second, with Wild Rosa (Mike Oosting) finishing third.

With the win, Kobes Gigi ($5.20) moved into second on the list of Indiana’s all-time highest-earning pacing mares behind Go On Bb. Leander Schwartz and Black and White Stable own the seven-year-old daughter of Jk Endofanera-Twin Oaks Tess, who was bred by Harvey Fry. Kobes Gigi retired with a career record of 93-25-26-9 and lifetime earnings of $1,257,159. Her most notable results are wins in the 2022 Lady Liberty and 2023 Indiana Sire Stakes Aged Mare Final and runner-up efforts in each of the last two Breeders Crown Finals for older pacing mares. She went two-for-12 in her farewell season.

M Ms Dream left from post four in the five-horse field, sandwiched between fellow Indiana Sire Stakes Champions Flagman (Rick Plano) in post three and Ponda Jet (Kyle Wilfong) in post four. Ponda Jet moved quickly to his customary position on the lead, trotting quickly to the quarter in :26.3 while M Ms Dream and Jordan Ross tucked into the third spot. The Sire Stakes champions lined up one-two-three on the backstretch, with Ponda Jet rolling to the half in :55.3 and three-quarters in 1:24, with Flagman and M Ms Dream moving off the cones at the third station to make a bid.

Ponda Jet and Flagman battled for the front, with Ponda Jet holding the pocket-setter at bay by a neck in 1:53. M Ms Dream crossed the wire for the final time in third, 2-1/2 lengths back of the winner.

Ponda Jet has now won five straight races and 16 of 24 starts this season for trainer Jay Hochstetler. Connie Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz own the five-year-old gelded son of Dover Dan-Pondas Lucky Lady, who has earned $925,735 and won 34 times in 76 career starts. He paid $5 to win.

As for M Ms Dream, the six-year-old daughter of Swan For All-Trading Places retires with a career record of 70-37-12-9 and $2,624,817 in lifetime earnings. She retires in the barn of Henry Graber Jr., who split training duties with Ron Burke for owners Hillside Stables and Frank Baldachino. M Ms Dream, bred by Mervin Miller, finished as the second-richest Indiana-sired trotter of all time behind 2017 Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover. Her 37 career victories include three Indiana Sire Stakes Finals, three wins on Hambletonian Day in the Steele Memorial, two Miss Versatility crowns, the Hambletonian Maturity, and this year’s FanDuel Championship at The Meadowlands. Baldachino indicated in the winner’s circle that the connections are looking at stallion Chapter Seven next spring when M Ms Dream begins her broodmare career.

The 2025 racing season at Harrah’s Hoosier Park concludes on Thanksgiving weekend with cards on Friday, Nov. 28 and Saturday, Nov. 29. The Black Friday card will get underway with a special post time of 4:30 p.m. and will feature the Thanksgiving Classic, in which On To Norway is expected to compete for his 23rd consecutive victory. The closing-night program on Saturday has the traditional 5:30 p.m. first post.

(Hoosier Park; photo of Kobes Gigi after winning on Nov. 22)