A pair of Indiana sired contenders kicked off the Wednesday, November 11 Veterans Day program at The Meadows with a pair of wins. Ponda Aid proved too tough for her opponents, earning the victory in the conditioned claimer in 1:56.0.
Ponda Aid was on the gate and ready to go, but as soon as it opened, Driver Aaron Merriman pulled her back off the gate, getting away in sixth as Kaylee’s Princess and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. took over the lead position, getting the field in single file behind him through the quarter in :28.1. Ponda Aid was gapping off the top five headed to the half in :58.0, but when the field turned down the backside, it was time for Ponda Aid to move, and she did with authority. Ponda Aid moved out and was making up ground with every stride, even going three wide around Better Than Becky and Chris Shaw.
By the time the field was heading into the stretch, Ponda Aid was going by her final opponent. Merriman never even pulled out the whip as the filly trotted home in :29.2 for the win by three and one-half lengths. Kaylee’s Princess finished second over Better Than Becky for third.
Ponda Aid paid $2.60 for the win as the favorite of the field. The sophomore daughter of Helpisontheway is owned by Freedom Reins Farm and Mark Goldberg. Pond-A-Acres bred and raised the filly, who is now trained by Tyler Stillings. Ponda Aid sold at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale for $22,000. She is the first foal from the Credit Winner mare First Call, who is a half sister to Fireinsidemyveins (1:53.1, $120,000) and Credit To Thelimit (1:58.4, $113,000). The third dam has produced numerous winners including Pay the Winner, who earned more than $747,000 during his career.
It was the first career win for Ponda Aid and a career best time of 1:56.0. She now has more than $13,000 on her card after she was lightly raced last year at two. Her younger brother, Ponda Duty, a son of Rebuff, sold last month at the Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale for $8,000 with Marlin Detweiler signing the ticket.
Another Indiana winner was recorded in the second race of the day as Desired Luck and Jeremy Indof waited patiently in the two-hole before moving out in the lane and rallying out to a four-length advantage in 1:51.3 in the $10,000 claimer. Ms Frances Assisi and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. finished second over On The Money GB and Brady Brown.
Desired Luck paid $11.20 for the win. The five-year-old daughter of Luck Be Withyou is owned by Rags to Riches of PA and trained by Mark Goldberg. Walnut Creek Farm bred the mare, who earned her seventh win of 2026. Overall, she has 18 wins with her career best time of 1:51.1 taken last year at The Meadows. She now has more than $125,000 in earnings.
