Harrah's Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to a stakes-filled card on Monday, May 26 as a special Memorial Day card of live racing took place. The evening's 14-race card featured the opening round of Indiana Sires Stakes action for the 3-year-old competitors, with a pair of divisions for each group contested on the night.
Miracle Maven kicked off the stakes action with a bang, scoring in a national season's record in the $49,000 first split for trotting fillies. John De Long had the call on the 2-5 favorite, settling in second behind Swan Jewel (driven by Marcus Miller) through a first quarter of 27 1/5. De Long wheeled the Henry Graber Jr. trainee to the top on the backstretch, leading through middle-half fractions of 57 seconds and 1:25 1/5 before steamrolling home a three length winner in 1:52 2/5. Swan Jewel held for second, with Fancy Schmantzy (Jared Finn) rounding out the trifecta nine lengths back of the winner at 26-1.
For Miracle Maven, the victory was the first of the season in her second outing for owners Hillside Stables, Frank Baldachino, Beasty LLC. and Eleven Star Stables. Bred by Noah Wickey, the daughter of Don't Let'em-Bad Babysitter has won six of 11 for her career, only missing the board once while banking $176,920.
Trainer Henry Graber Jr. would prove dominant in the filly trotting ranks, as he would also go one-two in the $49,500 second division, winning with Better Tak'em. Sent off as the 4-5 choice in her 3-year-old debut, Jordan Ross and Better Tak'em raced third throughout as stablemate Classical Jane (Trace Tetrick) led through fractions of 28 2/5, 57 1/5 and 1:25 4/5. Ross fed Better Tak'em racetrack off the final turn, rocketing home in 27 seconds to outduel her stablemate by half a length and reach the wire first in a lifetime-best effort of 1:53 2/5. Text Me Maybe (Marvin Luna) finished third at 34-1.
Graber Jr. also co-owns Better Tak'em along with Eleven Star Stables and Indiana Stables LLC. Bred by Steven Mast, the daughter of Don't Let'em-Barmaid has won five of nine lifetime, having only finished worse than second once while banking $143,875.
In the $49,500 first division for male trotters, On To Norway extended his win streak to six on the year, doing so in a career-best effort with John De Long in the bike. De Long settled the 1-2 favorite in third off the gate while Bluebird Ladychuck (Dan Shetler) cut the quarter in 27 seconds and 5-2 second-choice, Operator, jumped it off from the pocket on the first turn. On To Norway moved to the top at the half in 56 3/5 before widening his lead to 2 1/2 lengths at three-quarters in 1:25 4/5. On To Norway and a motionless De Long motored home in 27 seconds from there, reaching the wire 2 1/2 lengths clear to score in 1:52 4/5 with the plugs still in. Bluebird Ladychuck outdueled Kody Kickstand (Marcus Miller) for the place position.
The victorious gelded son of Muscle Massive-One Class Act has won six of seven on the season for owners Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, Black and White Stable and Michael Rosenthal. On To Norway was bred by Bennett Farms Inc of MI and has won 10 of 16 lifetime with earnings of $92,712.
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Driver Marcus Miller delivered a pair of big-priced winners on the evening, including with Tarzan at 9-1 in the $49,500 second division for trotting colts and geldings. Tarzan and Miller raced fourth throughout while 1-20 favorite Starlitfranknstein (Trace Tetrick) had things his way on the engine though fractions of 28 1/5, 57 1/5 and 1:25 4/5. Starlitfranknstein appeared home free with Tarzan still 8 1/2 lengths back at three-quarters, but Tarzan uncorked a vicious 26 second blitz in the homestretch to nail the chalk by a head on the wire in 1:53 2/5. Ponda Bear (Rick Plano) snagged the show spot at 29-1, 6 1/4 lengths back of the lead duo.
Erv Miller trains and co-owns the winner as part of Ervin Miller Stable Inc. along with Anthony Lombardi. The victory was the first in four outings for Tarzan and third in the career for the lifetime earner of $161,765. The gelded son of You Know You Do-Foxy Swan was bred by Keith Plank and Freeman Bontrager.
A race earlier, Marcus Miller drove home the biggest price thus far of the 2025 meet at Hoosier Park, winning with Vel Cinderella at 86-1 in the first of two $49,500 splits for pacing fillies. Leaving from the outside post eight, Vel Cinderella got away last while CC Rockin Rosie (Trace Tetrick) led to the quarter in 26 4/5. 1-5 favorite Tarshish (Marvin Luna) assumed command to the half in 57 seconds before causing confusion entering the final turn as she misfired and pulled up out of the race. As the favorite slowed, Odds On Alexandria (Pete Wrenn) went first-over and assumed command at three-quarters in 1:26 4/5 while Vel Cinderella towed into it from second-over in fourth. Vel Cinderella would rocket home in 26 seconds to chase down Odds On Alexandria and score by a length in 1:53 2/5. Be True To Me (Kyle Wilfong) finished third to round out the trifecta at 40-1.
Trained by Rob Rittof for owner Doug Overhiser, Vel Cinderella has won five of nine lifetime while only missing the board once. Mo Coo Inc. bred the daughter of Keystone Velocity-The Filly Princess who has banked $78,685 in her career.
The second division for pacing fillies was much more formful as last year's Super Final winner, Can'ttouchthese, made her 3-year-old debut a winning one as the 1-5 favorite. John De Long settled the Roger Welch trainee in third while 47-1 shot Princess In Pink (LeWayne Miller) raced with the lead through first-half fractions of 27 seconds and 55 1/5. De Long fed the favorite racetrack around the final turn, moving into second on the outside of the leader through three-quarters in 1:23 3/5. Wearing down Princess In Pink, Can'ttouchthese crossed the wire 2 1/2 lengths clear in 1:51 2/5. Sweet N Speedy (Jared Seekman) rallied to be second from the pocket at 38-1, while Jazzy Vespa (Mike Oosting) was third at 60-1.
Now a winner in seven of nine in her career, the homebred daughter of JK Endofanera-Can't Touch This has banked $280,120 lifetime for owners William and Patrick De Long and Douglas Riccolo.
In the first of two $49,000 splits for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, Deal The Odds rocketed off cover to score his first win of the year in start number two as the 2-1 second choice for Team Putnam. Driver Joey Putnam landed Deal The Odds in sixth in the field of seven while 3-2 bettors' choice Book The Fight (Marvin Luna) brought the field to the quarter in 26 4/5. After a half of 55 3/5, Deal The Odds towed into the race from second-over as Book The Fight continued to lead at three-quarters in 1:24 1/5. Deal The Odds tipped off cover at the top of the lane and out-sprinted Book The Fight with a 25 4/5 final station to win by a neck in 1:50 3/5. Rawtn Tale (Mike Oosting) finished third, a length back of the winner.
Trained by Joe Putnam, Deal The Odds has won four of 11 in his career for owners J P Racing, Michael Lee and Crazy Parrot Farm. The son of Odds On Equuleus-Sono Bello was bred by Silver Linden Farms and boasts a career bankroll of $100,920.
The second division for pacing males saw last year's Super Final winner, Chandler Bing, break through for the first time in 2025 in his third start off the bench. Jay Cross got away third with the 6-5 favorite as Big Al Derosa (Trace Tetrick) crossed over from the outside to cut first-half fractions of 27 4/5 and 55 4/5. Cross gave Chandler Bing his marching orders on the final turn, motoring first-up and into second at three-quarters in 1:23 1/5. After putting away Big Al Derosa early in the lane, Chandler Bing powered home in 26 4/5 to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Avanti (John De Long) in a career-best 1:50 2/5. Bikini Chaser (Joey Putnam) emerged atop a three-horse photo for the show position.
Alvin Miller trains and co-owns Chandler Bing along with Twila Harts. The gelded son of Tellitlikeitis-Northern Beauty has now won half of his 12 career starts, sporting a career bankroll of $245,415. Chandler Bing was bred by Glen Yoder.
Live racing continues at Harrah's Hoosier Park with a 14-race card on Wednesday, May 28, with a first post of 6:15 p.m. The Wednesday card features $10,000 guaranteed pools in the early Pick 5 (races 1-5), late Pick 4 (races 11-14) and late Hoosier Hi-5 (race 14), in addition to a Pick 6 carryover of $1,235 in races 4-9.
For more information on the 2025 live racing season at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.
--press release (Harrah's Hoosier Park)--