Round two of the Indiana Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts served as the Thursday, June 12 feature at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, with a pair of $67,808 divisions in which On To Norway extended his win streak to eight, and Operator pulled off a mild upset in a career best.
In the first division, On To Norway was sent away from the rail as the 1-5 favourite with regular pilot John De Long in the bike. De Long took the two-hole tuck on the first turn while Mehelpingyou (Jordan Ross) cut the quarter in :28.3 as the 7-1 third choice. De Long moved the favourite to the top on the backstretch, leading to the half in :57.2 before extending his lead to 2-1/2 lengths at three-quarters in 1:26.
Extending the win streak was never in doubt in the lane, with On To Norway and a motionless De Long cruising home in :27.2 to reach the wire three lengths clear in 1:53.2. Mehelpingyou held sway for second, with Bluebird Ladychuck (Dan Shetler) edging out Tarzan (Marcus Miller) for the show spot.
Ron Burke trains On To Norway, who has now won eight of nine starts on the year and 11 of 17 lifetime. Bred by Bennet Farms Inc. of Mi, the gelded son of Muscle Massive-One Class Act went over $135,000 in seasonal earnings with the victory. He boasts a career bankroll of $172,098 for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, Black And White Stable, and Michael Rosenthal.
In the second division, Operator converted a pocket trip into a mild 5-1 upset on On To Norway’s stablemate, Starlitfranknstein, for the driver/trainer combination of Kyle Wilfong and Jay Hochstetler.
Leaving from the rail, Operator and Wilfong cruised to an early lead through an opening quarter of :28.1 with Trace Tetrick and the 1-9 Starlitfranknstein sitting the pocket. Starlitfranknstein moved to the top just beyond the quarter, trotting to a comfortable half-mile clocking of :57.1 with Operator now in the pocket. The lead duo began to separate from the field on the way to three-quarters, and Starlitfranknstein led an anxious Operator to that station in 1:25.4.
Wilfong fed Operator racetrack, and the sprint was on in the lane as Operator and Starlitfranknstein continued to exchange blows in the stretch. Powering home in :26.4, Operator wore down Starlitfranknstein in deep-stretch to score by three-quarters of a length in a career-best 1:52.4. Ponda Rocky (Atlee Bender) finished third, three lengths behind the winner.
Operator has won two of three races during his three-year-old campaign and five of 13 in his career. Bred by Christopher Nissley, the gelded son of You Know You Do-Crazyasclassic sports lifetime earnings of $168,576 for owners Connie and Homer Hochstetler, Robert Buddig, and Allen Schwartz.
The win was one of four on the night for Wilfong to lead all drivers, and the second of the evening for Hochstetler to lead the training category.
The Late Pick 5 on Thursday went unsolved, leading to a carryover of $4,231 into the Early Pick 5 on Friday in Races 1-5, which will have a guaranteed pool of $20,000. Additionally, the Late Hoosier High 5 in the Race 14 finale will be guaranteed at $10,000, with both wagers done in partnership with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering Program.
First post for the Friday, June 13 card is 6:15 p.m. It will feature two divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes for the three-year-old pacing colts.
(With files from Hoosier Park)