Photo of Kountry Tab and Atlee Bender by Dean Gillette
When you think of great Indiana trotting mares, Custom Cantab is in the conversation. Her second foal Kountry Tab scored his first win of 2026 Thursday, September 17 in the $8,000 conditioned claimer. Atlee Bender was behind the well-bred gelding and had his hands full the entire mile.
Starting from post seven, Kountry Tab had a big powerful stride when the gates opened that carried him to the front of the pack. He settled in nicely behind Haliburton and Trace Tetrick before the quarter in :28.1. Bender continued to have a big hold on Kountry Tab heading t the half and was able to stay tucked in behind Haliburton past the half in :58.0. Horses from the back of the pack were on their way to the outside and Kountry Tab finally moved to the outside midway through the final turn.
Once he was out, Kountry Tab had a big powerful move that took him straight to the front by the head of the stretch. Earplugs were out and he trotted home by open lengths, still under a big hold by Bender. Kountry Tab crossed under the wire a three and one-quarter length winner in 1:56.3. Ryann’s Express and John DeLong finished second over Haliburton.
Kountry Tab was the heavy favorite, paying $2.20 for the win. The Swan for All three-year-old is owned by Anthony Lombardi and Never 2 Late Stable. Erv Miller trains the well bred son of Custom Cantab, her second foal. He was bred and raised at Kountry Lane Standardbred.
It was the first win of 2026 for Kountry Tab, who has hit the board in eight of 20 previous starts this year. His win Thursday was a new lifetime mark for the gelding. Custom Cantab, who earned a million dollars during her career with a career best time of 1:52.0, is just as impressive as a brood mare. Out of three foals of racing age, all three have raced. All three are by different sires and all are geldings.
Custom Cantab has a yearling colt by Temporal Hanover that was in the Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale named Kountry Carl, but he has been withdrawn.
Erv Miller and Atlee Bender teamed up later in the program for a win with another sophomore trotter as Help Cum Laude turned in a gate to wire effort in 1:52.4. The Helpisontheway filly trotted home in :26.3 to win by more than seven lengths. Lidlbidy Pridy One and Daryl Bontrager finished second over Helponeanother and Kevin Lambright for third.
Help Cum Laude was the favorite, paying $2.10 for the win. She is owned by Ervin Miller Stable and Anthony Lombardi. Black Creek Farm bred the filly, who earned her first win of 2026. Her win was also a new lifetime mark. She is from the mare Cum Laude Hall, who is a 100 percent producer from seven foals. Help Cum Laude is her latest foal and the second richest of the group with just under $200,000 on her card. Her richest foal is Miss Smead, who earned more than $265,000. Help Cum Laude is now her quickest with her Thursday win in 1:52.4.
