While there were plenty of upsets in other events on Friday's Hoosier Champions card at Harrah's Hoosier Park, the four $70,000 Indiana Sires Stakes finals for older competitors were immune, as favorites Flagman, Walkin On Sunshine, M-M's Dream and Little Rocket Man were the winners.
Flagman (Rick Plano) was seventh and last at the 55 second half in the male trot, but he went two-wide on the final turn and then three-wide before the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters. In the lane Flagman vaulted past leader Ponda Jet (Kyle Wilfong) and then pulled away to prevail by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:52 1/5. Ponda Jet held second from Toy's For You (Luke Plano).
Rick Plano also trains Flagman, a 7-year-old Guccio gelding, for owner Maryann Plano. The Pond-A-Acres bred won for the 36th time, has banked $544,594 and paid $4.20 to win.
In the mare pace Walkin On Sunshine, driven by trainer Jay Cross, pulled out of the pocket after the 26 3/5 quarter and was on top from Rollin Rosie (Trace Tetrick) prior to the half, which went on the board in 55 seconds flat. From there, Walkin On Sunshine reached three-quarters in 1:23 2/5 and came home in 27 seconds flat to defeat Rollin Rosie by half a length in a 1:50 2/5 performance. Queen's Reign (Joey Putnam) grabbed third.
A 4-year-old daughter of Always A Virgin, Walkin On Sunshine is owned by Maynard Miller, Daniel Lehman and Michael Yoder. Brd by Victory Hill Farm, Walkin On Sunshine made her 15th trip to the winner's circle, has put away $306,364 and returned $3.60 to win.
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M-M's Dream (David Miller) led on the outside at the 27 4/5 quarter in the mare trot and would clear early tempo-setter Swanya (John DeLong) after that marker. May Baby (Braxten Boyd) had tracked M-M's Dream's bid, though, and she took command in the backstretch before the 57 1/5 half, but Miller re-moved M-M's Dream to command early on the far turn. M-M's Dream opened up a gap on her rivals en route to the 1:26 3/5 three-quarters and continued to pour it on from there, widening to 7 1/2 lengths at the wire in a 1:54 2/5 tally. Picaboo Lady (Andy McCarthy) rallied from seventh to second in the last quarter and Swanya came in third.
Trained by Henry Graber Jr., M-M's Dream is a 5-year-old Swan For All mare owned by Eleven Star Stables, Frank Baldachino and Hillside Stables. M-M's Dream has a summary of 32-8-5 from 51 tries, has earned $1,764,417 and paid $2.10 to win.
The male pace saw Buzzsaw Russ (DeLong) march to the front in a 26 2/5 quarter, but Miller pulled out of third with Little Rocket Man in the backstretch, and Little Rocket Man worked his way around Buzzsaw Russ past the 54 2/5 half. Little Rocket Man was still in control at the 1:22 three-quarters and then responded gamely when challenged by Buzzsaw Russ on the inside and Coach Stefanos (Trace Tetrick) on the outside in the lane to win by a length in 1:49 1/5. Buzzsaw Russ was the runner-up and Yourwishisgranted (Mike Oosting) got by Coach Stefanos late for third.
Bred in Indiana by Victory Hill Farm, Little Rocket Man is an 8-year-old gelding by Rockin Image. Owned by Russell Beeman and Jack Freeman, this was Little Rocket Man's 66th career victory and he has now pocketed $1,650,249. The Ken Rucker trainee returned $2.80 to win.