Having not tasted defeat in Indiana since April 2025, it was business as usual for On To Norway as he catapulted off cover to a fifth straight victory in the $30,556 Open Handicap Trot at Harrah's Hoosier Park on Saturday, Sept. 5.

Leaving from the assigned outside post eight as the 1-5 favourite, On To Norway floated away and settled into the fifth position for John De Long while Ponda Jet (Kyle Wilfong) trotted to his customary spot on top at the first quarter in a blistering :26.1. Ponda Jet continued to have things his way on the front end, trotting to the half in :55.1 with Flagman (Kevin Lambright) tracking in the pocket. On To Norway flushed the cover of Euguene The Genius (Brandon Bates) entering the far turn and rolled second-over while Ponda Jet reached three-quarters in 1:24.

Ponda Jet came under fire at the head of the lane, with Flagman finding a seam between foes and On To Norway towering off cover. Ripping off a :26.4 final fraction, On To Norway blitzed to the wire a length clear in 1:51.2, with Flagman snagging second from Ponda Jet.

On To Norway was won nine of 10 starts this season, including the Hambletonian Maturity and Graduate Series final, for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, Black And White Stable and Michael Rosenthal. The Muscle Massive-One Class Act four-year-old gelding has won 36 of 43 lifetime appearances, banking $1,515,790. He paid $2.40 to win.

The victory completed a triple on the 13-race card for the Burke barn, which swept the Opens. Burke sent out Champagne Room to a lifetime-best-equalling 1:48.4 score over the sloppy track in the $30,556 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace.

Jordan Ross piloted the even-money favourite, leaving from post five in the field of six. Champagne Room was parked in third on the outside on the first turn, racing behind stablemate Goo Goo Won (Kyle Wilfong) through a :25.4 opening panel as that foe paced around Angel Hill (Trace Tetrick) to the front. Champagne Room took command on the backstretch briefly before Angel Hill was backed out from third and charged to the front to the halfway point in :53.2. Angel Hill blitzed to three-quarters in 1:21.2 with Champagne Room drafting the Tetrick helmet while Canttouchthese (John De Long) raced first-over in third.

Ripping out of the pocket at the top of the stretch, Champagne Room made quick work of Angel Hill while getting the jump on a closing Canttouchthese. Champagne Room paced home in :27.1 and reached the wire 1-3/4 lengths in front of Canttouchthese, stopping the clock in 1:48.4. Teelatini (Marcus Miller) rallied from last to grab the show spot.

Champagne Room, owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Larry Karr and Knox Services Inc., has won two of 14 starts this season. The regally bred four-year-old daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-See You At Peelers is a nine-time career winner, banking $549,715 in 38 appearances. The win price was $4.

Burke also won the sub-featured $22,222 Fillies and Mares Open 3 with Its My Story, who won from the pocket in 1:49.3 in line to Brandon Bates. The sophomore daughter of Best In Show-A Loskoz Bluegrass was 1-3/4 lengths the best over the closing Brooklets Rockette (Kevin Lambright) with Prtynproud Hanover (Kyle Wilfong) third. The Saturday triple brought Burke's 2026 win tally over 700, to 702.

Live racing resumes at Hoosier Park on Monday with a special Labor Day card set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. The 14-race program features $10,000 guarantees on both the Late Pick 4 (Races 11-14) and Late High 5 (Race 14) in partnership with the USTA's Strategic Wagering Program. There will also be a $8,246 carryover in the Early High 5 in the seventh race.

(With files from Hoosier Park)