Photo by Dean Gillette Ishtar and “Big Ticket” Brandon Bates delivered big dividends to their backers Thursday, July 23 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The duo turned in a perfect trip to score the win in a new lifetime mark in the $10,000 fillies and mares non winners of one event. Ishtar began from post six and left the gate with some speed but was swallowed up on both sides by early speed. Bates was able to slide the sophomore filly in behind opponents, passing by the quarter in :26.3 in fifth place. Foolish Beetrayal and LeWayne Miller took over the early lead from the outside before Lady Wonder and Trace Tetrick were out and rolling forward at the half in :56.1. Once settled on the lead, Lady Wonder led the field around the final turn before being joined by Variant and Jordan Ross on the outside. In the stretch, Lady Wonder was challenged by Foolish Beetrayal as they two headed for the finish line. Bates opted to stay inside with Ishtar around the final turn and moved up the inside into third. Ishtar then found room to maneuver through traffic and found herself on the outside of Lady Wonder and Foolish Beetrayal. It was a three-horse photo at the finish line with Ishtar getting the edge by a neck over Lady Wonder and Foolish Beetrayal, with a nose separating them for second and third respectively. Ishtar was a surprise, paying $37.00 for the win. The daughter of Highalator is owned and trained by Brett Selby. Cavallo Stable of Illinois bred the filly, who picked up her second career win after winning her first in early June at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Ishtar has spent her entire career at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with no wins last year at two. Overall, she now has more than $25,000 on her card and was purchased by Selby last spring before taking on ownership in solo form earlier this spring. She is the first foal from the Shadyshark Hanover mare Karefree Kara, who took a mark of 1:51 and made more than $170,000 during her racing career. She has a two-year-old this season named Vel Illpay Yalater, a daughter of Keystone Velocity who has not started yet. Indiana Sires Stakes action was on the Thursday card with two-year-old trotters on tap. Temporal Power and Joey Putnam pulled in a big upset in their division, rallying home in :28.4 to win in 1:56.4. Steppinouttohelp and Robert Taylor finished second over Tipsy in Vegas and Jordan Ross. Temporal Power paid $71.40 for the win. The Temporal Hanover colt is owned by Per Eriksson, Michael Midford, Michael Retherford, and PCW Racing. Kristin Shetler trains the colt, who was bred and raised by Amos Schwartz. The colt sold with the Blue Bird Meadows consignment last fall at the Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale with Dan Shetler signing the ticket as agent for $15,000. It was his second career start and his first win in the race. He is the son of Mystical Power, who took a mark of 1:55.3 and made more than $100,000 during her career. She is the dam of Power Hill, an Ohio bred who has a mark of 1:53.1 and made more than $110,000 and is still racing. She also has a yearling colt this year by Don’t Let’Em named Don’t Be Mystical, who will most likely be in the Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale this fall. Per Eriksson, former standout trainer in the United States, returned to Sweden in 2001. During his career in the States, Eriksson won three Hambletonians, multiple Breeders Crowns, and five World Trotting Derbies, to name a few. He was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 2022. Some of the standouts he conditioned included Trotter of the Year Giant Victory, Alf Palema, also Trotter of the Year and Lookout Victory, a winner of the Breeders Crown and Hambletonian Oaks.

Second time turned out to be the charm for Dashing Dover and Peter Wrenn. The freshman trotter rallied home to his first win in his second career start Wednesday, July 22 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Beginning from post nine, Dashing Dover had a little speed at the start, but so did a herd of horses to his inside. Like a Rock G and Atlee Bender got the first lead before Rollin Giannis and Marcus Miller took over at the quarter in 30.2. Dashing Dover became the third leader heading down the backstretch and led the field to the half in 1:02.0. Opponents were out around the final turn as Dashing Dover kept leading the way. In the stretch, Rollin Giannis moved out to challenge before going off stride as did Bluebird Hemi and Kyle Wilfong. Dashing Dover kept his mind focused on the finish and was a winner by three-quarters of a length over Like a Rock G, who moved out late in the lane to finish second. Topville Hamilton and Jay Cross finished third in the 2:01.1 mile. Dashing Dover paid $9.40 for the win. The Dover Dan son is owned by Stone Crest Farm of Loogootee, Ind. The homebred gelding was bred by Vernon Ray Wittmer and is now trained by Melanie Wrenn. Dashing Dover is the latest foal of Muscle N Beauty, who is the dam of Help N Beauty, a daughter of Helpisontheway and a winner already this year in 2:02.1. Dashing Dover now has $9,000 on his card from two starts. Also a winner on the Wednesday card was Woggy in the conditioned claiming pace. The three-year-old son of Tellitlikeitis got away in mid pack for driver John DeLong before getting flushed out for the second half of the race. In the lane, he took over at the head of the lane and fended off his rivals at the wire for the win in 1:54.3. Stop the Vanity and Kiwon Waldron, who cut the mile, finished second over Lou’s Beach Body and Kevin Lambright for third. Woggy paid $7.40 for the win. He is owned and trained by Alvin Miller. Jeff Jones of Illinois bred the gelding, who earned his first career win. He is the latest foal from several tough racehorses, including Always Woggy, a winner in 1:52.1 with $371,000 on his card and Woggy Rocks, who earned more than $137,000 during his racing career and took a mark of 1:51.4. Overall, the family has five winners from six foals.

Photo by Dean Gillette Jordan Ross hits 1,000 wins Jordan Ross has turned his young career into an impressive one. The Tennessee native added another milestone to his career Thursday, July 16, winning his 1,000 th race behind Tipsy in Vegas in the $15,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Eligibles event at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Ross had the inside and moved right out for an early lead before being overtaken at the quarter by Ponda Avenue and Marcus Miller in a time of :28.3. Tipsy in Vegas was right back out and rolling to the lead, settling in before the half in 1:00.0. From there, Ross let the trotter out a notch and he moved away from the field. He trotted the final quarter in :27.2 well under wraps for the win in 1:57.1. Ponda Avenue finished second over I’m Tempted and Atlee Bender. Tipsy in Vegas paid $8.80 for the win. The freshman son of Helpisontheway is owned and trained by Missy Essig. Brookside Stables bred the gelding, who is now two for two in his brief career. His win Thursday was a new lifetime mark alongside Ross’ milestone. Ross was greeted in the winner’s circle by the Essig Stable and family and friends holding up numerous signs to celebrate the occasion. Ross continues to be among the track’s top five drivers. He earned a win later in the night to begin working on his next 1,000 th win, which was his 100 th win of the meet. Ross is one of five drivers already over the $1 million mark for earnings at Harrah’s Hoosier Park this year. It’s his fifth straight year with seven figures in earnings. The 28-year-old reinsman began his driving career in 2015 with a handful of drives and won three of five races in 2016 on the Indiana Sired Fair Circuit for Robert Taylor, who has mentored him into his career. Ross’ first full year of driving was in 2017.

Photo of Vel See You Later and Clint Coy by Dean Gillette The Larry King Stable swept all three of the Indiana Sired Fair Circuit (ISFC) divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings Monday, July 20 at the Jay County Fairgrounds. Among the winners in that category was Vel See You Later, who continues to dominate amongst the three-year-olds this season. Vel See You Later used his quick speed to get out of the gate and get on top for driver Clint Coy as they hustled out of post four and had full control of the field, who followed along in single file through the quarter in :30.3. Heading the half, Vel See You Later was able to back the pace down considerably, which moved Every Mile Beach and Kevin Detweiler to the outside from the back of the pack and that move flushed out Bullitt Ranger and Mike Peterson past the half in 1:03.1. Vel See You Later and Bullitt Ranger were locked in a fierce battle to the three-quarters in 1:30.4 before Vel See You Later took off and moved out to an open length advantage in the stretch. He eventually was a winner by four lengths in 2:00.0, a final quarter in :29.1. Bullitt Ranger finished second over Whiskey Neat and DeShawn Horton for third. Vel See You Later is owned by King Racing Stable and Therl Hensley. The three-year-old son of Highalator was bred by Alvin Schwartz and is trained by Larry King. It was the seventh win on the ISFC this year for Vel See You Later, who leads the standings with 357 points. After going undefeated last year at two with six wins in six starts, the sophomore picked up a new lifetime mark earlier this year at Scioto Downs in 1:54.1. He is 14 for 20 lifetime. Joining Vel See You Later for a win on the Monday card at Portland was Vel Big Shocker, who is ranked second on the list for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers on the ISFC. Guided by Doug Rideout, Vel Big Shocker got away in third before moving first over and challenging Automatic Andy and Clint Coy on the lead from the half on. The two were still battling heading into the stretch before Vel Big Shocker got the edge over Automatic Andy for the win by one length in 1:57.4, a final quarter in :28.1. Brown Magic and Kevin Lambright finished third. Vel Big Shocker is owned by Kin Racing Stable and trained by Larry King. Alvin Schwartz bred the Straight Shooting gelding, who now has four wins on this year’s ISFC. He has 295 points this season. He has 11 wins total with his career best time of 1:55.4 taken last year at Northfield as a two-year-old. Vel Im Good rounded out King’s trifecta of winners in the sophomore pacing category with a gate to wire victory in 1:59.2. Charging Thunder and Mike Peterson moved up late in the race and joined Vel Im Good and Rideout at the wire for the win in a dead heat. Skyway Mr Midnight and Kevin Detweiler finished third. Vel Im Good is owned by King Racing Stable and bred by Alvin Schwartz. It was his second win of the season on the ISFC and he remains in the top eight on the list of horses seeking a spot in the Governor’s Cup Championship at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The Indiana Sired Fair Circuit (ISFC) is headed into the stretch for the Governor’s Cup Championships in August at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Action is back Monday, July 20 with 22 races featured for the late morning start at the Jay County Fairgrounds in Portland, Ind. The first 12 races on the card will feature two-year-old trotters and pacers. The first race includes Skyway Storm from the Doug Rideout Stable. The son of Rebuff has not been worse than second in seven starts this year with five wins. His quickest mile was recorded at Harrah’s Hoosier Park during ISFC action in a time of 2:03.4. Norvell Road Crew of Groveland, Fla. owns Skyway Storm, who begins from post one to kick off the 11 a.m. post time for the Jay County Fairgrounds program. The second division of two-year-old colt and gelding trotters includes Brookview Holiday from the Joseph Wagler barn. The Temporal Hanover son begins from post two with Kevin Detweiler in the bike, who has driven the gelding in each of his starts. His quickest mile was recorded in 2:04.1 in his last start at Frankfort. He is currently on a five-race winning streak. Two undefeated fillies headline the two-year-old pacing filly division. The first on display is Sassie Kassie in the 10 th race of the day. The Capt Midnight filly is four for four and hails from the Lambright Stable. Kassandra owns and trains with Kevin Lambright in the bike. Her fastest mile was also recorded in ISFC action at Harrah’s Hoosier Park in 1:56.1. Joining Sassie Kassie is undefeated Bella Notte in Race 12. The Capt. Midnight filly is five for five for Trainer Joe Putnam. She turned in her quickest mile two starts back at Frankfort in 1:59.0. Joey Putnam is set to drive Bella Notte after his dad, Joe, came out of retirement in her last start at Frankfort to drive when Joey was in Kentucky racing. Bella Notte begins from post five.

Photo by Dean Gillette Several trotting events were featured on the Saturday, July 18 racing program at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Veteran trotter Flagman and Kevin Lambright raised his game in the $12,000 upper conditioned trot to score the win in 1:52.4. Flagman began from post three and got away in mid pack as ER Kelly and LeWayne Miller took over the top spot, leading the field past the quarter in :27.4. He got a breather to the half in :56.4 with Operator and Marcus Miller sitting right at his back. In the final turn, the back of the pack began to close in, and once Flagman found room, he was able to surge past his opponents to score the win by two and one-quarter lengths, a final panel trotted in :26.4. Operator finished second over ER Kelly. Flagman was a surprise to the betting public, paying $30.40 for the win. The nine-year-old son of Guccio is owned by Maryann Plano and trained by Rick Plano. Pond-A-Acres bred and raised the gelding, who has 47 career wins and more than $821,000 in earnings. With 176 starts, he continues to impress with two wins already to his credit in 2026. In another upper conditioned trot, Starlitfranknstein and Trace Tetrick turned in a gate to wire effort to win the $10,000 conditioned trot with an option for claimers attached. The four-year-old son of Swan for All had a good lead and was able to fend off a late charge by Niner Fromda Diner and Jared Finn to win by a half length in 1:52.3. Dashing Danny and Kevin Lambright finished third. Starlitfranknstein was the favorite, paying $2.60 for the win. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Beasty LLC, and Frank Baldachino. Ron Burke trains the John Wagler bred and raised trotter, who now has eight wins in only 25 lifetime starts. His win Saturday was just a tick off his career best time of 1:52.2 taken last year as a three-year-old.

Photo by Dean Gillette Tell’s Pure Power didn’t have a perfect trip, but he had a winning one Friday, July 17 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The sophomore pacer rallied home with the quickest final panel in the $16,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Eligibles race for the win in 1:52.0, a new career best. Tell’s Pure Power began from the outside post seven and was driven by Trace Tetrick. Just as the starting gate began to fold its wings, Tell’s Pure Power went off stride for about four strides before catching back on and joining the field. He was relegated to the back of the pack as Mellow Fellow and Jared Finn took over the top spot followed by Rock My Memory and John DeLong, who were on the outside before clearing to the lead. Timber Man and Marcus Miller were also in pursuit of the top spot, getting their goal accomplished at the half in :54.4. Heading into the final turn, Check Your Pockets and LeWayne Miller pulled to the outside and shot up on the outside of Timber Man like a rocket. This prompted Flaming Ace and Jordan Ross to also move to the outside, giving Tell’s Pure Power a horse to follow around the turn. Just before the stretch arrived, Tetrick tipped Tell’s Pure Power three wide and the pacer was in full gear on the outside. He paced home in :27.3 and it to the entire length of the lane to get ahead, but he did in the final strides to win by three-quarters of a length in the three-horse photo. Mellow Fellow closed on the outside to finish second over Check your Pockets for third. Tell’s Pure Power was a longshot, paying $32.20 for the win. The Tellitlikeitis gelding is owned by Stepbystep Racing, M & M Racing, Parkview Stables, and Jonathan Schmucker. Victory Hill Farm bred and raised the three-year-old, who was purchased out of the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale for $37,500 with Jamie Macomber signing the ticket as agent. He comes from a long line of racehorses and stakes winners, including A Sweet Ride (1:49.4, $558,000), and Winning Is Sweet (1:51.0, $368,000). Tell’s Pure Power earned his first win of 2026 in the Friday race and his third overall. He now has more than $53,000 on his card for the Ricky Macomber Jr. Stable. Another son of Tellitlikeitis was in the winner’s circle in the very next race as veteran Indiana star Tellmeaboutit turned a two-hole trip into a winning effort in the $14,000 Open 4 Pace. Driven by John DeLong, Tellmeaboutit followed Odds on Outlier and Atlee Bender around the track before attacking the lead, winning by a length in 1:49.4. He paced his final quarter in :26.4. Odds on Outlier was second over Sanday A and Marcus Miller for third. Tellmeaboutit paid $6.40 for the win. The 10-year-old gelding is owned by Twila Harts and Alvin Miller and also trained by Miller. It was his fifth win of 2026 and his seventh year scoring a win under the 1:50 time barrier. The war horse has 42 career wins for Harts and Miller, who have had him his entire career. He became a millionaire earlier this spring. His career best time of 1:47.4 was taken as a six-year-old at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Photo by Dean Gillette After going winless during her first two seasons, Meadowbrook Dora has turned her form around as a four-year-old. Owned, trained and driven by Mike Peterson, the Indiana trotter rallied home to a new lifetime mark to kick off the Thursday, July 16 racing program at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Meadowbrook Dora began from post one and was able to use just enough early speed to get the two hole behind early leader Pilots Legacy and Jordan Ross. Fractions of :27.2 and :56.2 were placed on the board before horses from the back were out and moving forward led by Quick Cash and John DeLong. At the head of the lane, Meadowbrook Dora had plenty of room and moved out to challenge Pilots Legacy. She was able to get by her opponent in the final strides to win by one and one-quarter lengths in 1:53.4, a final quarter trotted in :27.4. Pilots Legacy was second over Lethimgojoe and Juan Franco, who closed the quickest of the field to finish third. Meadowbrook Dora was a big surprise, paying $45.00 for the win. The daughter of You Know You Do was bred and raised by Freeman Bontrager. Peterson purchased her from the Meadowbrook Farm consignment for $13,000. She is the second foal from the Broadway Hall mare See Me Sparkle, a winner in 1:57.0 from a maternal family with a lot of winners. Meadowbrook Dora has now won four races in 2026 and has won more than $40,000 this season. A few races later saw another longshot make it to the winner’s circle in another division of the conditioned claiming event. LeWayne Miller guided Surf Scoter to a big finish to win in 1:54.4, also a new lifetime mark. Surf Scoter got away in mid pack before finding room in the lane and closing in on Big Swig and Kyle Wilfong for the win by a neck. Fox Valley Snapper and Marcus Miller finished third. Surf Scoter paid $49.00 for the win. The four-year-old son of Don’t Let’Em is owned by Eash Racing Stable and trained by Don Eash. Sam Lambright Jr. bred the gelding, who earned his fourth win of 2026 and his ninth overall. He is just under the $75,000 mark for career earnings.

Photo by Dean Gillette Ican Hardly Wait was very patient Wednesday, July 15 and turned in a big final eighth to score a win in her very first start at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Kevin Lambright guided the freshman trotter to victory in a time of 2:01.3, a final quarter in :27.1. Ican Hardly Wait began from post seven and that is where she got away. Rollin G Forces and Anthony Miller took over the top spot from an inside post with Bluebird Tempor and Ross Leonard getting the two-hold behind the leader. After the quarter in :29.2, Vel Foxy Pedro and LeWayne Miller moved to the outside in front of Ican Hardly Wait and sprinted up to the leaders. Ican Hardly Wait moved to the outside with intentions of getting a second over trip, but Vel Foxy Pedro had moved away from her too quickly, so she was left on the outside in mid pack through the final half. At the head of the lane, Rollin G Forces was still in command on the inside and Vel Foxy Pedro was applying pressure on the outside. Ican Hardly wait tipped to the outside and was still in fifth, but was within striking distance. As the field moved to the wire, Ican Hardly Wait hit another gear and rallied past all her opponents, getting the win by one length over Rollin G Forces. Bluebird Tempor finished third. Ican Hardly Wait was a big longshot, paying $57.00 for the win. The Temporal Hanover filly is owned by Ira Steinberg and trained by Daryl Bontrager. Ican Hardly Wait was bred by Thomas Svensen in New Jersey. She was purchased by Bontrager out of the Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale(MSHS) under the name Casual Style for $11,000. Ironically, Rollin G Forces sold two yearlings later in the MSHS for $9,000. Later in the card, another Temporal Hanover freshman scored a win as Temporals Dream and Trace Tetrick scored their division of Indiana Sired non winners of one in 1:58.2. Temporals Dream got away in fourth as Like A Rock G and Kyle Wilfong took over the top spot early. However Temporals Dream did not sit back and follow along. He was out before the half and continued to pursue the top spot until he got it at the head of the lane. Temporals Dream trotted home in :28.1 to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.2. Dashing Dover and Peter Wrenn closed in for second while Rebum and Brandon Bates finished third. Temporals Dream paid $4.40 as one of the favorites. Silver Bit Equine and John McGill own the two-year-old. Martin Hilty bred and raised the gelding with Walter Haynes Jr. now serving as trainer.