Round two of six Indiana Sire Stakes for the two-year-olds got underway on Tuesday, July 25 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. Two $65,500 divisions for the rookie trotting fillies highlighted the 14-race card, with Ponda Title and Ponda Grace each getting the job done in their respective divisions.
Putting her perfect record on the line, Ponda Title (pictured above) was a decisive winner picking up her fourth career victory in as many tries.
Leaving from post six in the field of seven, driver Kyle Wilfong hustled Ponda Title straight to the front end, finding themselves to the outside of Truly Unbelievable and Kyle Husted in a brief duel for the lead in an opening quarter of :27.3. Truly Unbelievable relinquished the lead to Ponda Title as the fillies made their way into the backstretch, with Wilfong tapping the brakes in the second quarter to reach the half in :57.4.
Ponda Title continued to have things her way on the front end through the final turn, leading to three-quarters in 1:27:4 with Truly Unbelievable still second and Skyway Paige and LeWayne Miller first-over into third.
As the fillies turned for home, Ponda Title opened up a two-length lead at the top of the lane as Truly Unbelievable vacated the pocket. Trotting home in :28.1, Ponda Title completed the gate-to-wire victory by a length on the line over a determined Truly Unbelievable and Husted in 1:56. Skyway Paige and LeWayne Miller held for third to round out the trifecta
Bred by Pond-A-Acres, Ponda Title is a daughter of 2010 Hambletonian champion Muscle Massive out of the Angus Hall mare, Elin. Trained by Jay Hochstetler, Ponda Title has now banked $81,000 for owners Connie Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz.
In the second division on the evening, Ponda Grace crossed the wire second; however, she was declared the winner following an inquiry.
The complexion of the race changed quickly as heavy 4-5 favourite Agent Of Fortune jumped it off behind the gate, with driver Atlee Bender electing to steer Ponda Grace into the third position from post six as James Yoder cut a :28.2 opening quarter with Misty Mills.
Misty Mills led the fillies into the backstretch towards the halfway point in :58.4 with pressure mounting as LeWayne Miller unleashed Crystal Swan first-over. The two freshman fillies duelled on the far turn, sprinting in tandem to three-quarters in 1:28.1 and putting three lengths on the third-place Eves Romance and Jordan Ross.
Crystal Swan won the final turn skirmish leading the fillies to the top the stretch; however, she soon had company as Jordan Ross steered Eves Romance to the passing lane and Bender split rivals with Ponda Grace to her outside. The trio battled down to the wire with Crystal Swan digging in gamely, bracing for the hard-charging Ponda Grace, but Crystal Swan went off stride just prior to the wire, which she crossed first; however, she was disqualified to third for the lapped on break. Ponda Grace and Bender were declared the winner following the disqualification. The winning time was 1:57.1, a career-best for Ponda Grace, who trotted her final quarter in :28.1. Eves Romance and Ross finished third-placed-second.
Trained by Erv Miller, the daughter of Swan For All-Much Fanfare earned the second win of her career from four starts and pushed her bankroll to $56,900 for owners Anthony Lombardi, Doug Overhiser and Panda Monium Stable. She was bred by Alan Byler.
Live harness racing continues at Hoosier Park on Wednesday, July 26 with a 14-race card highlighted by two divisions of Indiana Sire Stakes for the two-year-old pacing fillies. Bettors will also have a $10,000 guaranteed Hoosier High Five pool in the race 14th race finale to shoot at -- that $10,000 guarantee is offered on the Hoosier High Five every weeknight of the 2023 live racing season.
(With files from Hoosier Park)