The fields were drawn on Tuesday, Sept. 17 for two of Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s signature events, the $165,000 USD Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby and $200,000 USD Caesars Trotting Classic presented by Kountry Lane Standardbreds on Friday, Sept. 20. Two full fields of 10 will go postward, with Periculum tabbed as the morning line favourite in the Caesars Trotting Classic and Little Rocket Man enlisted as the bettors' choice in the Pacing Derby.
With combined earnings of more than $11 million and 186 wins, the Maple Leaf Trot champion Periculum headlines the powerhouse field of free-for-all trotters. Entering with a runner-up finish to Jiggy Jog S in the $1,351,351 International Trot in his last outing, Periculum has won six of 11 races on the season while banking $735,868 for trainer Marcus Melander. Periculum will leave from post four with Scott Zeron listed to drive, right next to his Melander stablemate Oh Well, who will leave from post three as the 5-1 fourth choice.
Looking to join Bella Bellini as only the second mare to win the Caesars Trotting Classic, M Ms Dream returns to her Indiana roots and will leave from the second tier in post 10 with U.S. Hall of Fame driver Tim Tetrick listed to drive. A 31-time winner in 48 career outings, M Ms Dream was an Indiana Sire Stakes champion at two and three before branching out in her aged campaign, banking $1,798,015 and taking a career mark of 1:50 at The Meadowlands in 2023. M Ms Dream returns to the Herny Graber Jr. barn on Friday night for owners Eleven Star Stable, Frank Baldachino and Hillside Stables.
Trainer Ron Burke sends out a pair of entries in the Trotting Classic, including 2023 champion Its Academic. The career earner of nearly $2.7 million won last year’s edition in a stakes record time of 1:50.3. Its Academic will leave from the rail at 15-1 with Dave Miller aboard as he was for last year’s victory. Right next door in post two from the Burke Brigade is Hambletonian Maturity champion Chapercraz with Yannick Gingras listed to drive at 6-1 on the morning line.
The 2024 Caesars Trotting Classic field is available below.
$200,000 USD Caesars Trotting Classic
Post - Horse - Trainer - Driver - Morning Line Odds
1. Its Academic - Ron Burke - David Miller - 15-1
2. Chapercraz - Ron Burke - Yannick Gingras - 6-1
3. Oh Well - Marcus Melander - Todd McCarthy - 5-1
4. Periculum - Marcus Melander - Scott Zeron - 5-2
5. Ponda Jet - Jay Hochstetler - Kyle Wilfong - 15-1
6. Winners Bet - Nancy Takter - Dexter Dunn - 7-2
7. Hillexotic - Todd Luther - Austin Hanners - 12-1
8. Flagman - Rick Plano - Rick Plano - 20-1
9. Helpfirstedition - Missy Essig - John De Long - 20-1
10. M Ms Dream - Henry Graber Jr. - Tim Tetrick - 9-2
The $165,000 USD Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby has a field of 10 headlined by the last two champions of the Little Brown Jug, seven millionaires and the 2024 Dan Patch champion, Dunkin. A total of 15 horses entered this year’s Pacing Derby, including supplemental entry Backstreet Shadow. The top nine career money-earners along with Dunkin, due to his victory in $437,500 Dan Patch Stakes, secured their spot in the field Friday night.
Hometown hero Little Rocket Man is slated as the morning line choice, with “The Buckeye” David Miller listed to drive for trainer Ken Rucker. Now eight, Little Rocket Man is on track for a career year, with victories already in the Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield Park and in the Jim Ewart Memorial in his last outing at Scioto Downs. A winner in 10 of 13 this season, the 64-time winner sports career earnings of $1,591,957 for owners Russ Beeman and Boomer Freeman.
Last year’s Little Brown Jug champion Its My Show enters in fine form, a winner in the Canadian Pacing Derby two back before backing it up with a 1:49.2 Kentucky Sire Stakes score at The Red Mile in his last outing. Linda Toscano trains the royally bred four-year-old son of Sweet Lou-Put On A Show who has made $1,738,929 lifetime.
The horse Its My Show tracked down in the Canadian Pacing Derby, Abuckabett Hanover, is enlisted as the 7-2 second choice for trainer Andrew Harris. The six-year-old son of Betting Line already has wins in the Dave Brower and William Haughton Memorials at The Meadowlands with Dexter Dunn listed to drive who swept the Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty Memorials last Friday at Hoosier Park.
The 2024 Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby field is available below.
$165,000 USD Harrah’s Hoosier Park Pacing Derby
Post - Horse - Trainer - Driver - Morning Line Odds
1. Dunkin - Scott Di Domenico - Tim Tetrick - 12-1
2. Its My Show - Linda Toscano - Scott Zeron - 6-1
3. Why Not Now - Todd Luther - Austin Hanners - 20-1
4. Coach Stefanos - Erv Miller - Trace Tetrick - 20-1
5. Little Rocket Man - Ken Rucker - David Miller - 5-2
6. Backstreet Shadow - Travis Alexander - Matt Kakaley - 20-1
7. Charlie May - Steve Carter - Dan Noble - 4-1
8. Abuckabett Hanover - Andrew Harris - Dexter Dunn - 7-2
9. Bythemissal - Ron Burke - Yannick Gingras - 5-1
10. I Did It Myway - Travis Alexander - Matt Kakaley - 9-2
Final driver selections/changes for the Friday card will be made Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 18.
The 15-race Caesars Trotting Classic card gets underway with a first post time of 6 p.m. The card will also air live on Fox Sports 1 from 8-11 p.m. with hosts Gabe Prewitt and Jessica Otten live on site. Caesars Trotting Classic night also serves as Community Night at the Races, with local vendors, free kids activities, outdoor entertainment along with an education and giveaway station provided by the Harness Horse Youth Foundation and Indiana Standardbred Association located on the track apron.
(Hoosier Park)