Swiss Lights, driven by Trace Tetrick, spoiled the Hoosier homecoming of North America Cup champion Odds On Mr Mamba as the Jeff Cullipher trainee pulled off the upset in the third leg of the $133,803 Indiana Sire Stakes for three-year-old male pacers on a wet Friday, June 26 at Hoosier Park.
Slotted into post six behind the starting gate, Swiss Lights left the quickest and led the eight-horse field to the first turn in :26.1. Swiss Lights stayed strong to the halfway point in :54.3 with Dancingdreamer (Marcus Miller), What Nooo Waay (John De Long), King Tellit (Jay Cross) and post time favourite Odds On Mr Mamba (Peter Wrenn) giving chase.
Nearing the turn, Odds On Mr Mamba transitioned to the outside to eventually be first-over on Swiss Lights. Building momentum despite the sloppy track, Swiss Lights led the field through the three-quarter turn in 1:22.2.
Swiss Lights refused to open the door to his pursuers, picking up steam down the homestretch in :26.2 to fend off a late charge from Dancingdreamer and Odds On Mr Mamba. Swiss Lights crossed the wire in 1:48.4 for a new lifetime mark, 2-3/4 lengths clear. Dancingdreamer got up for second, while Odds On Mr Mamba had to settle for third.
Swiss Lights is owned by Cullipher along with Pollack Racing of Venetia, Pennsylvania. The Rockin Image-Shes Lights Out gelding added his third win of the season in five starts and first Sire Stakes score this year, boosting his lifetime earnings to $287,861. Swiss Lights paid $11.20 to win as the 9-2 second choice.
Later on the card, M Ms Bud remained hot to repeat in the $30,986 Open Handicap Pace with John De Long aboard for trainer Alvin Miller.
M Ms Bud was able to find a seat in third from the outside post seven on the first turn, with Golden Bay N (Trace Tetrick) cutting the quarter in :26.3. The field raced single-file to the half in :55.4, before M Ms Bud steamrolled first-over on the far turn to wrestle the lead away at three-quarters in 1:23.1. Carrying momentum into the stretch, M Ms Bud cruised home 2-1/2 lengths ahead on and stopped the clock in 1:49.3. Crooked Smile (Jordan Ross) was second with Golden Bay N holding for third.
M Ms Bud, a gelded by Tellitlikeitis out of Climate Hanover, has won half of his 10 starts this year at age five for his trainer, part-owner with Ted Comerford and Marvin Schwartz, both of Peru, Indiana.
Atlee Bender also had a night worth celebrating, tacking on a win on the Hoosier card with Go Pikachu Go after the reinsmen scored his 1,000th career driving victory in the morning at the Lebanon Fairground in Kentucky aboard Aww Suki Suki Na for trainer Joey Ayotte.
Bender has been one of the top drivers at Hoosier park the last few years, having a career year in 2025 accumulating $more than $5 million in money won with 235 wins across the Midwest. Back in 2022, Bender totalled more than 1,000 career starts in a season for the first time in his career, kickstarting consistency in the years to follow despite injury in 2024 that knocked him out of half of that season.
Bender’s first career win was on July 30, 2016 at Vernon Downs, taking Jet Airways to the winner’s circle for trainer Erv Miller. Likewise, Bender’s first win at Hoosier was for trainer Erv Miller, in 2020 with Adjacent. Building his career with Miller, Bender became a regular for the stable, still driving his horses today with his most recent win for him with Dan D Man Can in the third leg of the Indiana Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotters on Thursday, June 25 at Hoosier. Additionally, Bender shares his talents by driving at Oak Grove where he has become a staple at the Kentucky track.
This season, Bender has recorded 71 of his 120 wins at Hoosier, putting him in the top six drivers for wins. Bender has already hit the $2 million mark on the year, putting him in a strong position to achieve another career year in the business.
Hoosier acknowledged Bender's milestone achievement with a Friday night presentation in the winner's circle following his fifth race victory.
Live harness racing resumes at Hoosier on Saturday, June 27, with a 14-race card headlined by the third leg of Indiana Sire Stakes for sophomore pacing fillies with the rivalry once again renewed between Whoomp and Somemore Blue in the evening’s 10th race. First post on Saturday is 5:30 p.m.
(With files from Hoosier Park)