Sophomore pacer earns new lifetime mark

HC Caviar gives Detweiler his first PM win

Ponda Rocky and Kevin Switzer Jr. had every reason in the world not to finish strong in the $18,000 conditioned trot Tuesday, May 26 at Plainridge Park. The Indiana trotter was pressured every step of the mile and still finished strong to win in 1:53.4. Ponda Rocky began from post two and moved out to the lead as the race favorite. The large veteran gelding Double Account and Ron Cushing sat in second right at his back with Wendell Blue Chip and Matthew Athearn pursuing the top spot from the outside. Around the first turn, Wendell Blue Chip began gaining ground on Ponda Rocky as the field went by the quarter in :26.4. The tempo slowed a little to the half in :55.3 as Ponda Rocky led only by a half length over Wendell Blue Chip, who sat on his outside like a prompter. Heading to the three-quarter pole, Wendell Blue Chip brought terms up to even with Ponda Rocky in 1:24.1 and was not backing away around the final turn. Double Account was sitting with a big hold from Cushing in third. At the head of the lane, Wendell Blue Chip finally began to back off as Ponda Rocky began to drift to the middle of the track. Double Account had all the room he needed to advance on the inside, but Ponda Rocky was too strong, pinning his ears and trotting to the finish for the win by two and one-quarter lengths in 1:53.4. Wendell Blue Chip held his ground for second over Double Account. Ponda Rocky paid $3.40 for the win. The four-year-old son of Pastor Stephen is owned by Mark Eaton and Robert Griffin of Massachusetts and trained by Eaton. Ponda Rocky carries his farm name with him as a product of Pond-A-Acres. Ponda Rocky picked up his second win of 2026 and his eighth overall. He was close to his career best time of 1:53.0 taken last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The former Indiana Sires Stakes contender for trainer Erv Miller relocated to Plainridge at the conclusion of his three-year-old season. The $65,000 purchase from the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale is best known as the younger brother of standout trotter Ponda Adventure, a winner in 1:52.2 with more than $700,000 in earnings as a multiple stakes winner. Ponda Rocky is the richest and fastest performer of Pastor Stephen, who only stood two seasons in Indiana after being exported back to the U.S. from standing in Sweden. He was 2010 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year and was a millionaire when his racing career was cut short due to an injury at three. Overall, he has 14 in 2:00 or faster from 29 starters out of 36 foals in Indiana. Ponda Rocky was from his first crop with 23 sold at public auction that year. A full brother to Father Patrick, Pastor Stephen now stands at Llowalong Farms in Australia. Altogether, Pastor Stephen has sired nine millionaires, including German Breeders Crown champion Officer Stephen.

Photo by Dean Gillette There’s nothing better than a holiday card filled with Indiana Sires stakes contenders. Memorial Day racing kicked off the 2026 season for Indiana Sires Stakes for three-year-olds with several returning champs and one fresh face. Fresh Face Yankee, who dominated last year on the Indiana Sired Fair Circuit, stepped up to win her division in decisive fashion and remain undefeated this year in a division of the three-year-old filly trotters Monday, May 25 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Guided by Jay Cross, who is now handling the training duties of the filly, Fresh Face Yankee began from post six and rallied right out for the lead. Once settled on the front end, she posted fractions of :28.1, :58.0, and 1:27.1 before turning in an amazing final quarter in the stretch to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:53.3. Her final quarter was trotted in :26.2. Help Cum Laude and Atlee Bender finished second followed by Expressive Gal and Kyle Wilfong. Every horse in the race but one trotted home in under :27 seconds in the first round of Indiana Sires Stakes action. Fresh Face Yankee paid $3.80 as the favorite of the field. The three-year-old Crescent Fashion filly is owned by Tim Smith, who campaigned her during her freshman season. The filly is now four for four this season and the mile was a new lifetime mark. Overall, she has 13 wins in 19 career starts and boosted her career earnings to more than $89,000 in earnings. In the other division of sophomore trotting fillies, last year’s divisional champion, For Dayze and John DeLong scored a new gate to wire effort to win their $48,500 division of Sires Stakes action. The Swan for All filly rallied home for the win by a half length over Dial Nine One One and Jordan Ross in a time of 1:55.3. Honeymoon and Trace Tetrick finished third. For Dayze paid $3.00 as the favorite. She is owned by William and William Patrick DeLong. Roger Welch trains the filly, who was bred by Ernie Lambright. It was the first win in the second start of 2026 for the filly, who won six of her 10 starts last season. She boosted her career tally to more than $300,000 with her win in the first round of Indiana Sires Stakes action. A full rundown of all Indiana Sires Stakes winners will be provided by Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Entries open for Northern Indiana Yearling Speed Sale June 1 Entries for the 2026 Northern Indiana Yearling Speed Sale (NIYSS) will begin next week. The event is set for Monday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 10 at the Topeka Livestock Auction in Topeka, Ind. After taking a break last year, the NIYSS will begin accepting entries Monday, June 1. The deadline to register for the sale is Saturday, August 1. The sale format features same day payout and sellers receive 100 percent payout day of the sale. The consignment fee is $150 and the commission is set for six percent up to $10,000 and three percent beyond that figure. Several top performers in the state of Indiana have graduated from the sale in recent years. Featured on the creative for the 2026 sale is Musclefantastic, a 2022 sale graduate. The trotter was the winner of the Two-Year-Old Super Final for colts and geldings in Indiana Sires Stakes action and was a starter in the Breeders’ Crown later that fall. His career best time that year was 1:55.1. Other graduates who are stakes winners include Dashing Danny, Star of Midnight, and Easter Jack. To obtain a consignment form, contact the Topeka Livestock Auction office at (260) 593-2322. For more information on the NIYSS, contact Richard Fry at (260) 593-3686.

Photo by Dean Gillette Watch Miss Tucky and Brad Ferguson gave the fans something to watch in the final strides of the $18,000 Fillies and Mares Open 2 Trot Saturday, May 23 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The duo traveled down the lane with a big final eighth to score the win in 1:53.2. Watch Miss Tucky began from post three and left the gate seeking a spot near the lead. She was able to lead the field for a few steps before ER Kelly and Trace Tetrick took over before the quarter in :27.3. Heavily favored Southwin Mai Tai and Kevin Lambright got away in third as the field remained in single file to the half in :57.0. Southwind Mai Tai was flushed out around the final turn and came up beside Watch Miss Tucky. The two mares matched each others stride at the head of the lane, both hoping to catch ER Kelly, who was holding strong on the lead. It took about half way through the stretch before Watch Miss Tucky kicked into another gear splitting horses and rallying home to a three-quarters of a length win over ER Kelly. Southwind Mai Tai finished third. Watch Miss Tucky paid $14.60 for the win. The five-year-old daughter of Pinetucky is trained by Neil Coleman, who co-owns the trotter with Lloyd Schneiderman. Black Creek Farm bred and raised the mare, who earned a new lifetime mark in the effort. It was her second win of 2026 in five starts and her 10 th overall. She now has more than $110,000 in earnings. Later in the card, Rollin Rosie took top honors in the $22,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace. Guided by Trace Tetrick, the six-year-old JK Endofanera mare set the pace in the mile and was passed up by Yankee B Something and Jordan Ross at the head of the lane before coming back and getting the win by a neck over Wild Rosa and Travis Seekman, who also closed late in the race. Can’ttouchthese and John DeLong finished third in the three-way photo in 1:51.0. Rollin Rosie paid $6.20 for the win. She is owned by SCP Stable of Georgia, Tyler George, and Greg Samples. Defending Trainer Champion Tyler George trains the filly, who scored the win in the Indiana Sires Stakes Final last fall among older pacing mares. Mahlon Lambright bred the mare, who earned her first win of 2026 and her 29 th overall. To date, she has more than $737,000 in earnings with a career best time of 1:49.2 taken as a four-year-old at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

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Photo by Dean Gillette Compatible was a perfect match for the conditioned trotters in the $10,000 event Thursday, May 21 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Guided by trainer Ross Leonard, Compatible fended off challengers from both sides to reach the wire first in 1:59.4. Compatible began from post six in the seven horse lineup. Leonard pointed him to the lead, but Helpfund and Brandon Bates were the first to reach the top spot. Compatible stayed on task and took over after the quarter in :30.3. However, his time on the front end was short lived as Helpfund was back out and took over the top spot. This also spurred Bryce Canyon and Dan Shetler to move out and become the third leader of the race by the half in 1:02.1. Compatible stayed up with the top two around the final turn and was ready to pounce when the stretch arrived. Helpfund and Bryce Canyon were not giving in and Compatible stayed tucked in behind Helpfund until midway down the stretch. Once he tipped out, he hit another gear and trotted by his inside opponents while Lil Checkmate and Mike Peterson were closing quickly on the outside. In the end, Compatible was a winner by three-quarters of a length, a final quarter in :27.2. Lil Checkmate was a full length ahead of Helpfund for second. Compatible paid $6.60 for the win. The three-year-old son of Dover Dan is owned by Redracer LLC, Redline Racing Stables, Rachel Leonard, and Greg Samples. Richard Fry bred and raised the gelding, who was a $16,000 purchase from the Northern Indiana Yearling Speed Sale. It was his first win of the season in his third start. He now has three wins with his career best time of 1:58.1 taken last fall at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Dan Shetler and Swan’s Masterpiece scored a win in the very next race in a similar event for trotters. The sophomore son of Swan for All moved to the lead early and then was overtaken by several horses led by Great Commission and Trace Tetrick. Swan’s Masterpiece was back out and moving up first over in the second half and was in full mode when the stretch arrived. In the stretch, Swan’s Masterpiece went to work, trotting home in :28.1 for the win by two lengths in 1:56.0. TJ’s Dream and Atlee Bender maintained ground for second followed by Brookview Gold and Mike Micallef for third. Swan’s Masterpiece is owned by Dan Shetler, Stephen Stoll, David Yoder, and Leon DeVisser. Victory Hill Farm bred the gelding, who is trained by Shetler. It was his second win in three starts for 2026 and his fourth overall in 12 outings. His career best time was recorded in the mile, besting his previous win this season by two fifths of a second.

Photo by Dean Gillette Pilot’s Lucky Day and Brad Ferguson were on auto pilot in their win Wednesday, May 20 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The duo rallied home for the comfortable win in the $10,000 conditioned trot in a time of 1:57.1, a new lifetime mark. Pilot’s Lucky Day began the whole experience with luck on his side, drawing post two in the race. Ferguson guided him out of the gate with just enough speed to luckily land in the two hole behind Meadowbrook Mason and Brandon Bates. Mile marker times of :27.1 and :58.0 were established before the back of the pack began to scoop in around the final turn. Pilot’s Lucky Day had luck that he was able to sit in his position until midway through the final turn. This movement prompted Pilot’s Lucky Day to the outside. By the time the field was in the stretch, Pilot’s Lucky Day had taken over and had the field spotted by several lengths. This is where the skill kicked in. The Indiana trotter rallied home in :28.2 for the win by three and one-quarter lengths. Blessed With Help and Kevin Lambright finished second over Castro and Atlee Bender for third. Pilot’s Lucky Day brought a little luck to his backers, paying $32.40 for the win. The sophomore son of Pilot Discretion is owned by Jason and Laura Miller. Jason, one of the newest members of the Indiana Standardbred Association board, trains the gelding, who was making his fourth start of 2026. It was his first win and his quickest to date. He now has three wins. The gelding was bred by Willie Schwartz. In the race prior to Pilot’s Lucky Day, Ilikeitlikethat and Jordan Ross rallied near gate to wire for the win in the conditioned claiming pace. Ilikeitlikethat pulled away from his opponents and won by three and three-quarter lengths in 1:53.1, a final quarter in :27.1. Beyond Dazzling and Brandon Bates finished second with I[ll Decide and John DeLong rounding out the trifecta. Ilikeitlikethat paid $10.20 for the win. The three-year-old son of Capt Midnight is owned by Indiana Stables, Frank Baldachino, Beasty LLC, and James Zito. Henry Graber handles the conditioning duties for the gelding, who also earned his first win of his career after only one start last year at two.