In Harrah's Hoosier Park's signature trotting event, the $281,690 Caesars Trotting Classic (Grade 2) presented by Kountry Lane Standardbreds, On To Norway refused to be denied on his home track, going first-over en route to a 1:51.2 victory with John De Long in the sulky for trainer Ron Burke on Friday, Sept. 25.

Sent away as the 9-5 second choice from post three, On To Norway floated off the wings into fourth early in the mile while favourite Antognoni S (Yannick Gingras) crossed over in front of Ponda Jet (Kyle Wilfong) to lead the field of eight at the quarter in :26.4. French Wine (Jason Bartlett) tipped from third on the backstretch, brushing to the lead to take control ahead of the midway point trotted in :55. Moving into the final turn, On To Norway made his move to the outside, trotting first-over into third while French Wine remained on top to three-quarters in 1:23.2.

On To Norway dialed up the pressure spinning into the lane, charging alongside French Wine while Antognoni S split those rivals from the pocket to make it a three-across battle. Continuing to pick up steam in the lane, On To Norway trotted home in :27.3 to clear those foes in deep stretch, trotting to the wire clear by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:51.2. Gimpanzee Dancer (Dave Miller) staged a late rally up the cones to get up for second as the longest shot on the board at 95-1, with French Wine edging out Antognoni S for the show spot.

On To Norway has now won 10 of his 12 starts on the year, banking just over $825,000 for owners Burke Racing Stable of Fredericktown, Pennsylvania, Frank Baldachino of Harvey Cedars, New Jersey, Black And White Stable of Milroy, Indiana and Michael Rosenthal of Las Vegas, Nevada. Bred by Bennett Farms Inc. of MI, the four-year-old Muscle Massive-One Class Act gelding has won 37 of his 45 races lifetime and more than $1.74 million in his career. 

Baldachino noted in the winner's circle after the race that On To Norway would be pointed towards the Indiana Sire Stakes final on Friday, Oct. 9 before targeting the Breeders Crown at Scioto Downs for his next assignments.

Ken Hanover Delivers In Hoosier Park Pacing Derby

In the co-feature stakes event of the evening immediately following the Caesars Trotting Classic, trainer Roland Mallar's Ken Hanover utilized an aggressive steer by Tim Tetrick to score the victory as the 1-2 favourite in the $246,479 Hoosier Park Pacing Derby (Grade 2).

Ken Hanover left from post four, but was unable to find a seat on the first turn as Clever Cody (Luke Ebersole) rocketed off the gate to cross to command before Dandy Ideal (Jason Bartlett) was out from behind him to grab a narrow lead on the outside through a :26.1 first quarter. Dandy Ideal cleared, giving open road to Ken Hanover, who followed that move before crossing over to the cones on the lead through a hot opening half of :53.3. 

Ken Hanover remained on the throttle on the far turn, leading to three-quarters in 1:21.1 with Dandy Ideal in the pocket and Swingtown (Yannick Gingras) beginning to advance first-over from fourth.

Ken Hanover braced for the challenge of Dandy Ideal at the head of the lane, turning away that foe before Swingtown dove back to the cones to take aim up the inside. Swingtown lunged late in search of a 25-1 stunner, but could not reach Ken Hanover, who held sway by a quarter-length on the wire in 1:48.1. Maximus Miki (Scott Zeron) rallied late between foes to get up for third at 57-1 over Dandy Ideal.

That makes two consecutive stakes victories for Ken Hanover, who arrived fresh off his win in the Grade 2 Jim Ewart Memorial at Scioto in his last start. The six-year-old stallion son of Captaintreacherous-KJs Justine has now won four of his 11 races on the year and 25 times overall for his career. The Hanover Shoe Farms-bred pacer has earned nearly $500,000 on the season and more than $1.93 million lifetime for Mallar and partners Patrick Leavitt of Buxton, Maine, William Jordan of Fryeberg, Maine and Dennis Osterholt of Boyton Beach, Florida.

Sweet Lovin Lou Cruises To Victory In Jennas Beach Boy

Routing the eight-horse field, trainer Dan Lagace's Sweet Lovin Lou was all business to win the $140,845 Jennas Beach Boy for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers.

Driven by Scott Zeron, the favoured Cane Pace champion Sweet Lovin Lou raced out of the gate in fourth while Dancingdreamer (Dexter Dunn) took command at the quarter pole in :26.1. Sweet Lovin Lou accelerated on the backstretch to the half in :54.1 and led the field through three-quarters in 1:22 before sealing the deal with a :26.3 final frame to win by two lengths in 1:48.3. Early leaver Prolific Blend (Austin Hanners) finished second while Dancingdreamer rounded out the trifecta.

Sweet Lovin Lou went over the half-million mark in seasonal earnings with his third win in a dozen starts. He now boasts a career record reading 6-5-5 from 21 races and earnings of $782,300. The Sweet Lou-Lovers Dream colt is owned by Lagace Stables of Cambridge, Ont., Edwin Buhler of Wantagh, New York, Big Als Stables of Woodbridge, Ont., and Brittany Farms Micki Rae of Versailles, Kentucky.

Climatic Hanover Wins Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes In Record Time

Climatic Hanover pulled off a 28-1 shocker as she set a 1:52.2 track record for two-year-old trotting fillies in a $401,409 division of the Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes.

Driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Lucas Wallin from post three, Climatic Hanover found a spot in third off the gate while Redice (Atlee Bender) took control through the first quarter in :27.1 and continued to show the way through the half in :56 and three-quarters in 1:24.2. With Redice beginning to drift off the cones on the front, Climatic Hanover blazed to the wire along the inside in a :27.2 final quarter to win by 2-3/4 lengths. City Of Light (Scott Zeron), who took a brief lead at headstretch from the pocket, followed in second with favourite Blue Ranger (Dexter Dunn) landing in third.

Climatic Hanover eclipsed the previous divisional track record of 1:52.4, established by Nezuko Kamado S in the same event in 2025.

A million-dollar Standardbred Horse Sale yearling, the Walner sister to double millionaire Maryland rebounded from a miscue in last week's Grade 1 Jim Doherty Memorial at Hoosier for her first stakes score and second win in five starts. The filly out of Crucial is owned by K Andersen Racing Stable of Delray Beach, Florida.

Climatic Hanover paid $59 for the upset win.

Owleos Pride A Dominant Winner In Kentuckiana Stallion Management

Owleos Pride left no doubt about it as the 3-5 favourite in the $281,690 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes division for two-year-old filly pacers, romping by nine lengths with Trace Tetrick in the bike for trainer Ricky Macomber Jr.

Protecting her inside position, Owleos Pride got away third in line on the opening turn while Fauvette Hanover (Scott Zeron) crossed over from the far outside to cut the opening quarter in :26.1. Amazing Tammy (Tim Tetrick) moved to the lead briefly on the backstretch, before immediately being covered up by Owleos Pride, who charged to the lead before the half in :55.2. Beginning to gain separation from her foes on the turn, Owleos Pride reached three-quarters in 1:23 before pacing away from a scattered field of fillies to win in 1:51.1. Mystical JK (Kyle Wilfong) was second, with Fauvette Hanover third. 

There was a spill in the backfield with Iwillalwayslouveu and driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. going down around the final turn. The filly left the track under her own power with Wrenn remaining on his drives for the remainder of the card.

Owleos Pride is a homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-McFlirty for James Stonecipher of Tipton, Indiana. The filly named for Stonecipher's grandchildren Owen and Leo, has now won three of her seven starts, including a sub-1:50 Indiana Sire Stakes, and went over $275,000 in earnings for Stonecipher and co-owners Ricky and Jamie Macomber of Fishers, Indiana.

Mr Bear Rebounds In Elevation

Fresh off his first career defeat in his last outing, Mr Bear rebounded with a romp in the $105,634 Elevation for two-year-old pacing colts and gelding for the father and son, driving and training team of Erv and Marcus Miller.

Marcus Miller floated the 1-5 favourite off the wings, methodically working his way to the front on the first turn to the outside of a revved-up Stonebridge Blitz (Yannick Gingras) through a :27 opening panel. Clearing on the backstretch, Mr Bear had things his way on the front end through middle-half fractions of :55.1 and 1:24. With just a couple of whip taps, Mr Bear quickly opened up on his rivals in the lane, pacing away before being geared down on the wire, winning by 3-3/4 lengths in a career-best equaling 1:50.3. Two of the five Ron Burke trainees in the race rounded out the top three with Stonebridge Blitz holding for second and Another Mile Again (Trace Tetrick) rallying for third.

Mr Bear has now won seven of his eight starts and more than $275,000 for owners Ervin Miller Stable of Debary, Florida, D And M Trading of Orland Park, Illinois, Levi Bontrager of Forest, Ohio and Laura Perniciaro pf Leslie, Michigan. The grey gelding is sired by Rockin Image out of Mamas Lil Beach.

The Reason Triumphs In Madison County

The Reason was the winner of the $98,592 Madison County for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, with driving Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke combining for an early stakes score on Friday's card.

Gingras surveyed the seven-horse field out of post five with favourite The Reason as the 47-1 shot Whatsa Miumiu (Kevin Detweiler) stretched an early lead to five lengths in a :26.3 first quarter. The Reason cruised along in fourth looking to track down Whatsa Miumiu, who passed the halfway mark in :55.4. The Reason started to play catch-up on the leader at the three-quarter mark in 1:25.4. Hitting the stretch, Whatsa Miumiu ran out of gas leaving The Reason open freeway up the middle to hit the wire in a new lifetime mark 1:55.1 by 1-1/2 lengths. Lions Tale (Mattias Melander) closed from the backfield for second, while Heir To The Naughty (Trace Tetrick) finished third.

The Father Patrick-Sherrys Lady colt has won back-to-back starts and lifted his bankroll into six-figure territory, with earnings now totalling $122,091 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, Phillip Collura of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, and Libby And Purnel of Ocean Ridge, Florida.

Zephyr Kemp Fires Late In Phil Langley Memorial

Zephyr Kemp picked up steam on the stretch to secure the $105,634 Phil Langley Memorial for three-year-old male trotters.

Leaving out of post five for driver Todd McCarthy, favourite Zephyr Kemp worked from behind getting an early four-hole as Mr Big Spender (Mike Wilder) raced to the first quarter in :26.4. An early break from Dan D Man Can (Atlee Bender) in second left Mr Big Spender alone on top to glide past the halfway mark in :55.4 and three-quarters in 1:24.3, but Zephyr Kemp struck in the stretch, accelerating home in :26.4 to win by two lengths in 1:52. Mr Big Spender settled for second and Bravo Alpha (Trace Tetrick) was third.

Marcus Melander trains the Calgary Games-Southwind Adele colt for the Delray Beach, Florida ownership group of Kemppi Stables Oy, Suojalampi Stable, Pcw Racing and Sjoeblom Racing. Zephyr Kemp claimed his fifth win of the year in a dozen starts, increasing his lifetime earnings to nearly $445,000.

Somemore Blue Bests Rival In Carl Becker Memorial

Having gotten the better of arch-rival Whoomp in their last two meetings, Somemore Blue remained red-hot as she took the $105,634 Carl Becker Memorial for Indiana-sired sophomore pacing fillies. With Marcus Miller in the sulky for his father Erv, the duo scored a stakes double with this victory preceding Mr Bear's Elevation victory.

Leaving from post five as the 1-2 favourite, Somemore Blue was seated in the pocket early with Whoomp (John De Long) intent on the lead from her inside starting spot to a first quarter in :26.2. The two star fillies were shown respect in the middle stages, with Whoomp remaining in charge through fractions of :55.1 and 1:23.4. Somemore Blue tipped from the pocket at the head of the lane, with the rivalry renewing once more as the sprint for home began. Somemore Blue moved alongside Whoomp, with Whoomp briefly bobbling to her inside allowing Somemore Blue to rocket past with a :26 final fraction to win by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:50. Whoomp settled for second, with Its My Story (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) third, 6-1/2 lengths back of the winner.

A winner in seven of 10 starts on the year, Somemore Blue padded her seasonal earnings that soared over $400,000 for owners Stepbystep Racing of Davenport, Florida, Ken Duffy of Orland Park, Illinois, Lava Java Stable of Louisville, Kentucky and Never 2 Late Stable of Greenlawn, New York. The daughter of Rockin Image-Misssomebeach Blue now boasts just shy of $790,000 in career earnings with a record of 14-5-0 in 20 starts. 

Co-owner Andy Willinger noted in the winner's circle that Somemore Blue will finish out the Indiana Sire Stakes season, with a potential date with the Breeders Crown if all goes well for the remainder of her campaign.

Erv Miller and Ron Burke each ended the 15-race night with three wins.

(With files from Hoosier Park)