Atlee Bender ended the week of racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park in style, racking up five wins on Saturday, July 25, including a sweep of both $95,070 divisions of the Indiana Sire Stakes (INSS) for two-year-old trotting fillies.

Bender’s first victory on the evening came as a stunner, driving the Jeff Cullipher-trained Gladden, who stormed late in the stretch to score at 27-1 from the secondtier in the first INSS division.

Gladden was away in sixth early from post 10, while Janae (Jordan Ross) shot out of the gate the quickest to take control to the turn in :28.2 with Rebuffpinklady (Kevin Lambright) keeping up in second. On the backstretch, the field grew scattered, with Janae, Rebuffpinklady and Unburdened (Marcus Miller) the top three to the half in :58.3 as Gladden joined the outer flow from seventh. Janae’s lead continued to hold strong to the three-quarters in 1:28.2. Unburdened moved sharply first-up on the leader on the final turn, cruising past Janae. From seventh, Gladden blitzed along the far outside in :26.4, nailing Unburdened by a head on the wire to prevail in 1:56.4. Janae held third.

Gladden broke her maiden in her second start. The Temporal Hanover-Pleaspleaspleas filly is owned by breeder Duane Miller and Cullipher. She paid $57.60 to win.

In the second division, Bender scored with the pocket-sitter Redice as the 5-2 second choice for trainer Erv Miller, who tripled on the card.

Leaving from the rail, Redice secured the pocket trip behind a revved-up Satin Serenade (John De Long) who took control of the field of nine to the quarter in :27.3. The lead duo remained the same to the half in :57, before 6-5 favourite Dance Remix (Jordan Ross) tipped to the outside from fourth. Anticipating that move, Redice moved to the outside on the far turn, snatching the lead from Satin Serenade before three-quarters in 1:26.4. Redice was gone from there, powering clear by five lengths to win in 1:55. Dance Remix got up for second, with Finish Big (Robert Taylor) third.

Redice took her second win in four appearances, with a win from three starts in the Kentucky Sire Stakes preceding her move to Indiana. The daughter of Rebuff-Fuzzy Dice was bred by Kjell Andersen, Lucas Wallin and Pieter Delis and has banked $97,133 for owners Ervin Miller Stable Inc., Anthony Lombardi and Stepbystep Racing. She returned $7.60 at the mutuels.

That victory kicked off a natural grand slam in the bike for Bender to get to five wins. He reached the winner's cirlce with Kaks The Boss ($5.20, 1:51.2), Docini ($6.20, 1:58) and Lady Panera ($3.40, 1:52.3). The last two were the other winners for Erv Miller. Bender has racked up 161 wins this season from 1,044 starts and is fifth in the standings at Hoosier. Miller is 117-for-496 and sits third among trainers at Hoosier.

In addition to the INSS, a pair of $30,986 Open events were contested on the 14-race card. Ponda Jet, driven by Kyle Wilfong for trainer Jay Hochstetler, tallied his third straight top-class win as he took down the Open Handicap Trot.

Ponda Jet picked up where he left with last week's front-stepping win, again motoring away from the outside post to reach the quarter on top of the field of five in :27.3. Ponda Jet stayed in command with Finite (Trace Tetrick) and Cs Flying Co Pilot (Jordan Ross) behind him to the half in :56.3. Ponda Jet and Finite separated themselves from the rest of the field to the three-quarters in 1:25.1. Down the stretch, Ponda Jet finished strong, fending off Finite to the wire by a half-length in 1:52.3. Drink Up Drink Up (Brandon Bates) was third.

Ponda Jet is owned by Connie Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz. The six-year-old Dover Dan-Pondas Lucky Lady gelding increased his career earnings to $1,037,725 and his record to 39-for-86. Ponda Jet claimed his fifth win of the season in 10 outings, paying $2.60 to win.

Canttouchthese held up her end of the bargain as the 1-5 favourite in the Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace, winning from the pocket with John De Long aboard.

Leaving aggressively from post five, Canttouchthese was in the middle of a three-across battle to the first turn with Wild Rosa (Brandon Bates) to her inside and Goo Goo Won (Kyle Wilfong) to her outside through a sharp opening quarter of :26.1. Canttouchthese cleared Fox Valley Lava before releasing Goo Goo Won to the lead before the half in :54.4. Goo Goo Won remained in command on the far turn, leading to three-quarters in 1:23.3 with Canttouchthese tipping from the pocket. The two mares battled the length of the lane, with Angel Hill (Trace Tetrick) rallying from last to make it three-across late. Canttouchthese won the war by a half-length in 1:50.3 over Goo Goo Won, with Angel Hill third.

Canttouchthese has won back-to-back Opens and four of eight starts on the season. The 21st career victory pushed the four-year-old daughter of Jk Endofanera-Cant Touch This’s bankroll to $837,164 from 37 starts. Roger Welch trains her for owner-breeders William De Long, Patrick De Long and Douglas Riccolo.

In addition to the action on track, Hoosier Park conducted Empire of Hope, raising $50,843 USD for the Standardbred Transition Alliance over the course of the last year.

Racing returns to Hoosier Park on Tuesday, July 28 with a 14-race program featuring Indiana Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies. The program gets underway at 5:30 p.m. and also includes $10,000 guarantees on the Late Pick 4 (Races 11-14) and Late High 5 (Race 14) done in partnership with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program.

(With files from Hoosier Park; photo of Redice winning on July 25)