A dynamic trio of Indiana Sire Stakes two-year-old male trotters in their third leg headlined the Friday, July 31 card at Hoosier Park.

So Joyful, driven by John De Long for trainer Ernie Gaskin, impressed with a convincing victory in the $66,197 first chapter.

So Joyful eased out of the starting gate from the inside post as Ponda Solve (Trace Tetrick) glided from the outside post eight to the early advantage at the first quarter in :28.2. Neatly lined up along the backstretch, the field remained stagnant with Ponda Solve leading the way to the halfway mark in :57.1. Temporal Power (Joey Putnam) was the first to react from fifth along the outside. 

Ponda Solve stayed disciplined at the front as So Joyful applied pressure from second at the three-quarter turn in 1:26.3. Picking his moment, So Joyful breezed past Ponda Solve and left his seven rivals in the dust to stop the timer in a new lifetime mark of 1:55.1, winning by 7-3/4 lengths. Kountry Dion (Kyle Wilfong) claimed second while Temporal Power took third.

A four-time starter, So Joyful picked up his second INSS victory of the season. The Rebuff-Skateaway colt is owned by the Illinois group consisting of All-Wright Racing of Morton, Brian Code of Bradford and James Nellinger of Brimfield. He was a $42,254 yearling acquisition from last fall's Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale. So Joyful paid $5.60 to win as the bettors' choice. 

Swan Good Bi, driven by Jordan Ross for trainer Henry Graber Jr., took the field by storm in the $65,493 second division.

From the far outside post seven, Swan Good Bi elected to settle towards the back of the field in fifth with Tipsy In Vegas (John De Long) shooting out for the lead to quarter :28.1. Keeping the line straight, Tipsy In Vegas stayed in control to the half-mile pole in :57.3 and led a tight ship with the field still in their same positions to the three-quarter mark in 1:26.4. 

Despite the field staying calm through three-quarters, the homestretch told a different story as Swan Good Bi was still not in the picture yet. Mendoza Mafia (Atlee Bender) discovered another gear in hopes of getting his first win as he bombed his way past the leader. Threading the needle between trotters, Swan Good Bi smashed the nitro as he blazed a final quarter in :26.4 and reached the wire in 1:55 for the career-best victory. Mendoza Mafia settled for second a neck back while Tipsy In Vegas ended up third.

A two-time INSS winner and undefeated in three career starts, Swan Good Bi is owned by Indiana Stables of Rochester, Indiana, Frank Baldachino of Harvey Cedars, New Jersey, Michael Rosenthal of Las Vegas, Nevada and James Zito of Washington, Pennsylvania. The Swan For All-Bange Bi gelding was also purchased for $42,254 from the Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale. He was the race favourite with a $2.60 win payout.

In the $65,493 third and final division, Nectar Of The Gods scored a front-end victory to extend his INSS win streak to three with trainer Mike Micallef in the bike.

Away from post three, Micallef passed on the early to tuck and charged Nectar Of The Gods to the outside of Heffae (Lamar Wingard) as the pair raced together to the first quarter in :29.1. Nectar Of The Gods cleared on the backstretch, assuming command before the half in :59.2 as the field accordioned back together as the tempo slowed. 

Nectar Of The Gods remained in charge on the far turn, racing to three-quarters in 1:29 with Heffae beginning to tip from the pocket. Heffae took aim at the head of the lane, moving alongside the leader before Nectar Of The Gods responded with a :27.4 final split to fend off the challenger by three parts of a length in a career-best 1:56.4. Priceless Help (Marcus Miller) followed in third, 3-3/4 lengths back of the winner.

Perfect in stakes action after a runner-up effort in his career debut, Nectar Of The Gods is owned by Bet The House of St. Petersburg, Florida. The Temporal Hanover-Goddess colt was picked out from the 2025 Lexington Select Yearling Sale, with a $111,111 price tag. Sent postward as the bettors' choice, he paid $4.20 to win.

On Saturday, Hoosier Park will welcome millionaire On To Norway back for live racing in race eight in the Open Trot. On To Norway returns to action off his victory in the Hambletonian Maturity back on July 11. The 14-race card will include the $7,500 guaranteed Late Pick 4 and the $7,500 guaranteed Late Hoosier High Five done in partnership with the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering Program. First post is set for 5:30 p.m.

(With files from Hoosier Park; photo of Swan Good Bi winning on July 31)