Some of the sport’s biggest names will make their way to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday, Oct. 31 as a quartet of six-figure stakes races for all four three-year-old divisions highlight the 13-race program.
The Grand Circuit events will begin in the 10th race with the $185,000 USD Carl Erskine for trotters, which features On To Norway in search of his 19th consecutive victory. Established as the 3-2 morning-line favourite in the field of 10 with regular pilot John De Long slated to drive, the Ron Burke trainee has not tasted defeat since his three-year-old debut on Apr. 3. In the time since, the Muscle Massive-One Class Act gelding has swept all eight legs and the $347,222 Super Final of Indiana Sire Stakes, to go along with stakes wins in the Phil Langley Memorial and Pegasus in his last outing. Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, Black & White Stable, and Michael Rosenthal, On To Norway has racked up $622,422 in seasonal earnings. He will start from the rail.
Jugette champion Rodeo Drive Deo has been tabbed as the 3-1 morning-line choice in the USS Indianapolis Memorial for pacing fillies, which carries a purse of $113,750 USD and will serve as the 11th race on the program. Saddled with the outside post nine, the Ron Burke-trained daughter of Captaintreacherous-Miss L A makes her way to Hoosier Park after a traffic-troubled fourth-place effort in her Breeders Crown Final last out. Hall of Fame driver David Miller will once again have the call on the filly owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Beasty LLC, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby. She will take on Breeders Crown third-place finisher Skywalker Sea (PP7, Austin Hanners) and Canttouchthese (PP6, De Long), who romped by five lengths in the Circle City in her last outing, as the co-second choices at 9-2 on the morning line.
The $131,500 USD Crossroads of America for filly trotters in Race 12 has Divine Thing billed as the 5-2 morning-line choice following her 1:53.4 victory in the Circle City in her last start at Hoosier Park. Leading driver Trace Tetrick will be aboard the daughter of Greenshoe-A Thing Goin On, who will start from post two for trainer Steve Carter and owner Jay Mossbarger. She will reignite her rivalry with Indiana Sire Stakes champion Miracle Maven (PP8, De Long, 3-1), who was second to Divine Thing in the Circle City.
The main event of the evening in the finale is the $172,500 USD Monument Circle for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, in which Messenger champ Twisted Destiny takes on nine other foes as the slight 3-1 favourite from post eight. Dexter Dunn’s choice of three in the field, Twisted Destiny has won six of 15 starts this year for trainer Chris Ryder, and the royally bred son of Bettors Wish-Tug River Princess has banked $533,504 on the year for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Alberg Racing LLC, Enviro Stables Ltd., and Jesmeral Stable. He’ll be joined by Cane Pace champion Captain Optimistic (PP6, Scott Zeron, 7-2), who enters off a third-place effort behind Sippinonsearoc in the Breeders Crown, and Little Brown Jug runner-up Odds On Outlier (PP3, Peter Wrenn, 12-1).
There will be a $15,000 guarantee on the all-stakes Late Pick 4 (Races 10-13) in addition to the $10,000 guarantee on the Late Hoosier High 5 (Race 13) on the Monument Circle.
First post for the program is set for 5:30 p.m.
Harrah’s Hoosier Park currently races on a Wednesday-Saturday schedule before dropping down to Thursday-Saturday beginning Nov. 13. Harrah’s Hoosier Park will be off for Thanksgiving (Nov. 27) before concluding the 2025 meet with closing weekend on Nov. 28 and 29.
(Hoosier Park; photo of On To Norway winning on Oct. 17)