Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to a stakes-filled Memorial Day card on Monday, May 26. The evening’s 14-race card featured the opening round of Indiana Sires Stakes action for the three-year-old competitors, with a pair of divisions each worth more than $67,000 for each group contested on the night.
Miracle Maven (pictured above) kicked off the stakes action with a bang, scoring in a North American season’s record in the first split for three-year-old trotting fillies. John De Long had the call on the 2-5 favourite, settling in second behind Swan Jewel (Marcus Miller) through a first quarter of :27.1. De Long wheeled the Henry Graber Jr. trainee to the top on the backstretch, leading through middle-half fractions of :57 and 1:25.1 before steamrolling home a three-length winner in 1:52.2. Swan Jewel held for second, with Fancy Schmantzy (Jared Finn) rounding out the trifecta nine lengths back of the winner at 26-1.
The victory was the first of the season for Miracle Maven in her second outing for owners Hillside Stables, Frank Baldachino, Beasty and Eleven Star Stables. Bred by Noah Wickey, the daughter of Dont Letem-Bad Babysitter has won six of 11 for her career, only missing the board once while banking $241,588 lifetime.
Trainer Henry Graber Jr. was dominant in the filly trotting ranks, as his trainees also finished one-two in the second division, winning with Better Takem. Sent off as the 4-5 choice in her three-year-old debut, Jordan Ross and Better Takem raced third throughout as stablemate Classical Jane (Trace Tetrick) led through fractions of :28.2, :57.1 and 1:25.4. Ross fed Better Takem racetrack off the final turn, rocketing home in :27 to outduel her stablemate and reach the wire first in a lifetime-best effort of 1:53.2 by a half-length. Text Me Maybe (Marvin Luna) finished third at 34-1.
Graber Jr. also co-owns Better Takem along with Eleven Star Stables and Indiana Stables. Bred by Steven Mast, the daughter of Dont Letem-Barmaid has won five of nine lifetime starts, having only finished worse than second once, while banking $196,890.
In the first division for male trotters, On To Norway extended his win streak to six on the year, doing so in a career-best effort with John De Long in the bike for trainer Ron Burke. De Long settled the 1-2 favourite in third off the gate while Bluebird Ladychuck (Dan Shetler) cut the quarter in :27 and 5-2 second-choice Operator (Kyle Wilfong) jumped it off from the pocket on the first turn. On To Norway moved to the top at the half in :56.3 before widening his lead to 2-1/2 at three-quarters in 1:25.4. On To Norway and a motionless De Long motored home in :27 from there, reaching the wire 2-1/2 lengths clear to score in 1:52.4 with the plugs still intact. Bluebird Ladychuck outduelled Kody Kickstand (Marcus Miller) for the place position.
The victorious gelded son of Muscle Massive-One Class Act has won six of seven starts on the season for owners Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, Black and White Stable and Michael Rosenthal. On To Norway was bred by Bennett Farms Inc of MI and has won 10 of 16 lifetime starts with earnings of $127,920.
Driver Marcus Miller delivered a pair of big-priced winners on the evening, including with Tarzan at 9-1 in the second division for trotting colts. Tarzan and Miller raced fourth throughout while 1-20 favourite Starlitfranknstein (Trace Tetrick) had things his way on the engine though fractions of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:25.4. Starlitfranknstein appeared home free with Tarzan still 8-1/2 lengths back at three-quarters before uncorking a vicious :26 blitz in the homestretch to nail the chalk by a head on the wire in 1:53.2. Ponda Bear (Rick Plano) snagged the show spot at 29-1, 6-1/4 lengths back of the lead duo.
Erv Miller trains and co-owns the winner as part of Ervin Miller Stable Inc., along with Anthony Lombardi. The victory was the first in four seasonal outings for Tarzan and third win in the career for the lifetime earner of $221,499. The gelded son of You Know You Do-Foxy Swan was bred by Keith Plank and Freeman Bontrager.
A race earlier, Marcus Miller drove home the biggest price thus far of the 2025 meet at Hoosier Park, winning with Vel Cinderella at 86-1 in the first of two splits for pacing fillies. Leaving from the outside post eight, Vel Cinderella got away last while CC Rockin Rockin Rosie (Trace Tetrick) led to the quarter in :26.4. The 1-5 favourite, Tarshish (Marvin Luna), assumed command to the half in :57 before causing confusion entering the final turn as she misfired and pulled up out of the race. As the favourite slowed, Odds On Alexandria (Pete Wrenn) went first-over and assumed command at three-quarters in 1:26.4 while Vel Cinderella towed into it from second-over in fourth. Vel Cinderella would rocket home in :26 to chase down Odds On Alexandria and score by a length in 1:53.2. Be True To Me (Kyle Wilfong) finished third to round out the trifecta at 40-1.
Trained by Rob Rittof for owner Doug Overhiser, Vel Cinderella has won five of nine races lifetime while only missing the board once. Mo Coo Inc. bred the daughter of Keystone Velocity-The Filly Princess, who has banked $106,927 in her career.
The second division for pacing fillies was much more formful as last year’s Super Final winner, Canttouchthese, made her three-year-old debut a winning one as the 1-5 favourite. John De Long settled the Roger Welch trainee in third while 47-1 shot Princess In Pink (LeWayne Miller) raced with the lead through first half fractions of :27 and :55.1. De Long fed the favourite racetrack around the final turn, moving into second on the outside of the leader through three-quarters in 1:23.3. Wearing down Princess In Pink, Canttouchthese crossed the wire 2-1/2 lengths clear in 1:51.2. Sweet N Speedy (Jared Seekman) rallied to be second from the pocket at 38-1, while Jazzy Vespa (Mike Oosting) was third at 60-1.
Now a winner in seven of nine races in her career, the homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-Cant Touch This has banked $380,404 lifetime for owners William and Patrick De Long and Douglas Riccolo.
In the first of two splits for three-year-old pacing colts, Deal The Odds rocketed off cover to score his first win of the year in start number two as the 2-1 second choice for Team Putnam. Driver Joey Putnam landed Deal The Odds in sixth in the field of seven while 3-2 bettors’ choice Book The Fight (Marvin Luna) brought the field to the quarter in :26.4. After a half of :55.3, Deal The Odds towed into the race from second-over as Book The Fight continued to lead at three-quarters in 1:24.1. Deal The Odds tipped off cover at the top of the lane and outsprinted Book The Fight with a :25.4 final stanza to win by a neck in 1:50.3. Rawtn Tale (Mike Oosting) finished third, a length back of the winner.
Trained by Joe Putnam, Deal The Odds has won four of 11 in his career for owners J P Racing, Michael Lee and Crazy Parrot Farm. The son of Odds On Equuleus-Sono Bello was bred by Silver Linden Farms and boasts a career bankroll of $137,846.
In the second division for pacing colts, last year’s Super Final winner, Chandler Bing, broke through for the first time in 2025 in his third start off the bench. Jay Cross got away third with the 6-5 favourite as Big Al Derosa (Trace Tetrick) crossed over from the outside to cut first half fractions of :27.4 and :55.4. Cross gave Chandler Bing his marching orders on the final turn, motoring first-up and into second at three-quarters in 1:23.1. Putting away Big Alderosa early in the lane, Chandler Bing powered home in :26.4 to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Avanti (John De Long) in a career best 1:50.2. Bikini Chaser (Joey Putnam) emerged atop a three-horse photo for the show position.
Alvin Miller trains and co-owns Chandler Bing along with Twila Harts. The gelded son of Tellitlikeitis-Northern Beauty has now won half of his 12 career starts, sporting a career bankroll of $333,194. Chandler Bing was bred by Glen Yoder.
Live harness racing continues at Hoosier Park with a 14-race card on Wednesday, May 28, with a first post of 6:15 p.m.
The Wednesday card has $10,000 guaranteed pools in the Early Pick 5 (Races 1-5), Late Pick 4 (Races 11-14) and Late Hoosier High 5 (Race 14) in addition to a Pick 6 carryover of $1,235 in Races 4-9.
(Hoosier Park)