The sophomore sensation that is On To Norway concluded his three-year-old season with a 23rd straight victory, out-duelling a game Gimpanzee Dancer to take the $67,183 Thanksgiving Classic for three-year-old trotting males as one of four wins for trainer Ron Burke on Friday, Nov. 28 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.
Tasked with the outside post seven, On To Norway and driver John De Long were able to find a seat in third on the first turn while Gimpanzee Dancer (Marcus Miller) rocketed to the top through a quarter of :27.3. Gimpanzee Dancer continued on the engine to the half in :56, when De Long fed On To Norway racetrack, moving him into second on the outside and to within a half-length of the leader at three-quarters in 1:24.4. With the plugs out, On To Norway grabbed a short lead at the head of the lane while Gimpanzee Dancer battled gamely for much of the stretch before On To Norway wore him down, crossing the wire a length in front in 1:52.3. Karinchak (Jordan Ross) split horses late to be third, 1-1/2 lengths back.
With his only 2025 defeat coming in his sophomore debut, On To Norway ($2.20) ends the campaign with a record of 24-23-1-0 and seasonal earnings of $885,732. The Muscle Massive-One Class Act gelding was bred by Bennett Farms Inc. of Michigan and has now taken $918,439 in career earnings, having won 27 of 33 lifetime starts. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, Black And White Stable and Michael Rosenthal.
Burke and De Long also teamed up with Harrisburg Heist who won his third straight race when he took the $77,746 Thanksgiving Classic for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Leaving from post four as the 1-2 favourite, Harrisburg Heist settled in the pocket behind a revved-up Chandler Bing (Trace Tetrick), who blitzed to the opening station in :26.1. Chandler Bing sprinted to the half in :54.2 under siege from Banderas (Atlee Bender), and the duo paced to three-quarters in 1:22.2 with Harrisburg Heist brimming with pace behind the lead pair. Banderas retreated turning for the stretch, giving clearance to Harrisburg Heist, who then exploded home in :27.1 to pace by Chandler Bing and cross the wire 2-1/4 lengths clear in 1:49.4. Rick Wink (Kyle Wilfong) rallied from the backfield to nail Chandler Bing for the place position behind his stablemate.
Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Phillip Collura and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Harrisburg Heist ($3) has won four of his last five outings and 13 of 22 on the year. The Downbytheseaside-Cashaway gelding was bred by Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz and has banked $719,725 this year. He is 13-for-31 lifetime with $780,582 in bankroll.
Ron Burke’s other two winners on the 13-race card were Dixie Dream (Trace Tetrick, $3.80) and Tickertape Hanover (Atlee Bender, $4.20). The Hall-of-Fame trainer has amassed 1,061 wins on the year and is now fewer than 100 away from his previous best season.
John De Long then combined with his wife, Tabby, for his third stakes score of the evening with Canttouchthese, who led every step in the $69,296 Thanksgiving Classic three-year-old filly pace. Leaving from the outside in the quintet of fillies, Canttouchthese grabbed the lead with a :27 first quarter and cruised to the half in :56.1. Unchallenged at three-quarters in 1:24.4, Canttouchthese held the pocket-sitting Send It Down Slim (Jordan Ross) at bay by three parts of a length with a :26.4 last quarter to stop the timer in 1:51.3. Vel Cinderella (Atlee Bender) was third, 1-3/4 lengths back of the winner.
Canttouchthese ($2.20) has won five of her last six attempts for owner-breeders William and Patrick De Long and Douglas Riccolo. The daughter of Jk Endofanera-Cant Touch This has racked up $415,555 in earnings in 2025 with 11 wins in 21 starts. She is 17-for-29 lifetime with a bankroll of $762,055.
Favourites went four-for-four in Thanksgiving Classics as Divine Thing extended her win streak to three in the $59,167 three-year-old filly trot. Leaving from the rail with Trace Tetrick aboard, Diving Thing got away third to the quarter in :28.1 before trotting around Fifty To Win (Marcus Miller) and assuming the lead position at the half in :57.1. From there, Divine Thing raced to three-quarters in 1:26.3 before drawing away in the lane, romping by 4-3/4 lengths in 1:55. Made Of Dreams (Kevin Lambright) was second, with Fifty To Win finishing third.
Steve Carter trains Divine Thing ($2.40) who has won seven of 18 races this year for owner Jay Mossbarger. The daughter of Greenshoe-A Thing Goin On was bred by Crawford Farms and has earned $305,959 this year to push her career bankroll to $663,006. She is 12-for-31 lifetime.
While the stakes races were formful, a $201.80 bomb in Byassees Bobcat forced carryovers to both the Early Pick 5 and Early Pick 4 pools on Saturday to spice up closing night. The Early Pick 5 (Races 1-5) has been guaranteed at $10,000 with a $2,905 carryover. The Early Pick 4 (Races 6-9) has been guaranteed at $20,000 with a carryover of $4,382. Additionally, there is a $9,001 carryover into the Early Hoosier High 5 (Race 7).
The 15-race closing night card is set to get underway with a first post of 5:30 p.m. However, with a threat of winter weather impacting the card, Hoosier management is expected to make a final decision on the status of racing at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Saturday morning in partnership with the Indiana Standardbred Association and Indiana Horse Racing Commission.
(Hoosier Park)