A quartet of six-figure Grand Circuit stakes for three-year-olds highlighted the 13-race Harrah’s Hoosier Program on Friday, Oct. 31 when trotter On To Norway extended his win streak to 19 in the Carl Erskine. Captain Optimistic won the Monument Circle Pace while Rodeo Drive Deo and Miracle Maven captured the filly stakes with emphatic performances.
On To Norway left from the rail in the $260,563 Carl Erskine for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, tabbed as the 1-20 favourite with regular driver John De Long aboard. On To Norway floated away in fourth on the first turn while Operator (Kyle Wilfong) swept to the lead from post nine through a :27.3 first quarter. Wilfong grabbed leather on the backstretch, tapping the brakes to the half in :57 when De Long tipped On To Norway off the cones and brushed alongside the leader around the far turn and to three-quarters in 1:26. On To Norway surged ahead at the top of the lane, trotting home in :27.4 to reach the wire first by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:53.4. His Ron Burke stablemate, Cheers Hanover (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), shook loose late to get up for second at 63-1 while Operator held for the show spot.
Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, Black And White Stable and Michael Rosenthal, On To Norway has not tasted defeat since a second-place effort in his three-year-old debut on April 3. The gelded son of Muscle Massive-One Class Act was bred by Bennet Farms Inc of MI and has earned the majority of his $785,411 career bankroll through his 20 starts this season.
Trainer Andrew Harris achieved a career milestone during the stakes action as he went over the $30 million mark in career earnings with Monserrate's fourth-place finish in the Erskine.
Trainer Ron Burke came right back with in the next stakes event as Rodeo Drive Deo notched her first win since the Jugette final in September with a brush and crush victory in the $160,211 USS Indianapolis Memorial for sophomore pacing fillies.
Driver Dave Miller was able to grab a seat in third with Rodeo Drive Deo from post nine as Fansville (Dexter Dunn) paced around Wunderkindbluechip (Atlee Bender) to reach the quarter first in :26.4. Once clear, Fansville slowed the tempo to the half in :55.3 when Rodeo Drive Deo blasted first-over from third, rocketing to the top and extending a six-length lead as she slammed the accelerator to three-quarters in 1:22.2. The deficit proved too much for her nine foes as Rodeo Drive Deo coasted through the stretch before winning by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:51. A 56-1 shot, Good As You (Marcus Miller) rallied up the cones to be second, with Baret (Scott Zeron) closing on the outside to be third.
Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Beasty LLC and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby, Rodeo Drive Deo has won seven of her 19 starts this season while racking up $810,595 on the year. The millionaire daughter of Captaintreacherous-Miss L A was bred by Deo Volente Farms and Cool Cat Racing.
A pair of Indiana Sire Stakes champions duelled to the wire in the $185,211 Crossroads of America for three-year-old trotting fillies, with Miracle Maven getting the better of Martz Seven in a tight finish.
Miracle Maven and John De Long got away fifth from post eight while Martz Seven (Kyle Wilfong) raced to an early lead in a :27 first quarter. Better Takem (Jordan Ross) moved around Martz Seven on the backstretch, getting to the half in :56 before coming under siege from a first-over Divine Things (Trace Tetrick) with Miracle Maven towed into it second-over at three-quarters in 1:26.3. Miracle Maven surged three-deep around the top pair before Martz Seven split horses late to take aim, coming up a neck short as Miracle Maven got to the wire first in 1:56.1. Classical Jane (Yannick Gingras) joined her winning Henry Graber Jr.-trained stablemate on the trifecta ticket, getting up for third at 45-1.
This year’s three-year-old champion in Indiana, Miracle Maven has won four of her last five and seven of 12 on the year for owners Hillside Stables, Indiana Stables, Frank Baldachino and Beasty LLC. Bred by Noah Wickey, the daughter of Dont Letem-Bad Babysitter went over $500,000 in seasonal earnings in 2025 and now has more than $700,000 banked in her career following her 12th lifetime victory.
The evening concluded with Captain Optimistic holding up his end of the bargain as the 4-5 favourite in the $242,958 Monument Circle for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers.
Scott Zeron was aggressive off the wings from post six, parked to the outside of leader Papis Rocket (Yannick Gingras) to an opening quarter of :26.2. Captain Optimistic cleared on the backstretch, racing to the half in :55.1 before Swingtown (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) moved first-over and raced at the leader’s wheel to three-quarters in 1:22.3. Captain Optimistic turned away Swingtown before holding Papis Rocket at bay from the pocket to cruise to a 1:49.4 victory by 1-1/2 lengths. Trainer Ron Burke swept positions two through five on the Hoosier High 5 ticket with Papis Rocket, Railroad Station (David Miller), Rick Wink (Chris Page) and Swingtown, respectively.
The winning Captain Optimistic is trained by Nancy Takter for owners 3 Brothers Stables, Marvin Katz, Caviart Farms and Deo Volente Farms. Bred by Fair Winds Farm, the Captaintreacherous-Cinomony colt has won five of his 17 starts on the season, good for nearly $790,000 on the year and pushing his lifetime bankroll over $1.4 million.
The week of racing concludes at Hoosier Park on Saturday, Nov. 1 with a nine-race program set to get underway at 5:30 p.m.
(With files from Hoosier Park)