Ponda Adventure, with driver Trace Tetrick in the bike, turned in a dominant performance to find the winner’s circle in the featured event of the evening, the lone $94,500 division of Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Wednesday (June 29).
Scoring in 1:52.4, Ponda Adventure established a new lifetime best and remains undefeated in three starts this season.
Leaving from post 2 in the field of nine, Ponda Adventure left just enough to grab the pocket seat while Sam Widger had Bluebird Biship on a mission to the front. Bluebird Bishop led the field through early splits of :26.1 and :55 while the rest of the field sorted out early position. Ponda Adventure was content with a pocket trip while Sweet Boy Ben and Peter Wrenn were the first to commit to the outer flow and apply pressure to the leaders.
Bluebird Bishop was still on top through the three-quarters in 1:24.3 but the rest of the field was closing in on the leader. Tetrick saw daylight up the passing lane and Ponda Adventure powered up the inside with a :27.4 late closing kick to get the win by two and a quarter lengths. Yo Mister and Verlin Yoder also rallied well late for second while Adamsville Road and Michael Oosting rounded out the trifecta. As the heavy 1-5 favourite, Ponda Adventure returned $2.60 for the win.
Trained by Erv Miller, the son of Swan For All-Wildflower has now won 11 of 13 starts while bankrolling $367,968 for owners Engel Stb of Ill LLC, L.A. Willinger, and J.D. Graham. Ponda Adventure was bred by Pond-A-Acres. The victory was also one of two winners on the evening’s program for Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s leading driver Trace Tetrick.
Live racing will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Thursday, June 30 with a 14-race card. Live racing will continue to follow a Tuesday through Saturday schedule through September before reducing to a four day a week schedule.
(Harrah's Hoosier Park)