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Indiana trotter wins seasonal debut

It was a wild night of weather Thursday, March 26 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park and it was a wild finish in the conditioned claiming trot. Swan for the Win crossed the wire as the first big Hoosier winner on the night followed by a Sweet 16 win by the Purdue Boilermakers.

 

Starting from post nine, Driver LeWayne Miller floated out of the gate with Swan for the Win, but had no intentions of heading to the lead, opting to find a spot in mid pack as Chromys Rocket and John DeLong shot out to the lead. The chestnut trotter was on top by five at the quarter in :28.0 and backed the tempo down a notch to the half in :57.0 as the field was spread out behind him down the backstretch. Race favorite Lous Transportor and Marcus Miller were sitting in second heading into the final turn, and was still nine lengths off Chromys Rocket. Swan for the win was still more than 10 lengths off the leader heading into the final turn.

 

Midway through the turn, Lous Transportor went off stride as the remainder of the field began to vie for position. Swan for the Win was on the outside and was advancing slowly before the top of the stretch. In the stretch, Chronys Rocket switched over to the pace for a few strides and eventually went off stride, opening up the lead to whomever could get there. Swan for the Win was on point and rallied up to take over, pulling away to a four and one-quarter length advantage at the wire in 1:58.3, a final quarter trotted in :29.4. Momsshowgirl and Atlee Bender closed for second over Touch of Ability and Brad Ferguson for third.

 

Swan for the Win paid $11.40 for the win. The four-year-old daughter of Swan for All is owned by First Hillside Stables of Ohio and trained by Jerry Schwartz. John Barnard is the breeder on the mare, who was making her first start of 2026. It was her second trip to the winner’s circle in her career with her win last year in 1:57.2 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park remaining as her quickest. She topped the $25,000 mark in her seasonal debut.

 

Swan for the Win was part of the Chapel Ridge Farm consignment at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale, but was withdrawn before the event and did not sell. She is a recent acquisition by her current connections. She is out of the American Winner mare Winning Double, who has a mark of 1:52.3 with $136,000 on her card. She is also a half sister to the tough Call Me Dani, a winner in 1:52.4 with more than $320,000 on her card and still racing. Winning Double now has five foals, all fillies and all starters with four winners.

 

Also a winner on the shortened card was JK’s Time to Shine in the pacing version of the conditioned claimer. The three-year-old JK Endofanera filly moved out from post eight for Kevin Lambright and continued to pursue the top, achieving her goal after the quarter in :27.2. From there, she maintained control of the tempo and rallied home to her second straight win in 1:56.3, a half length ahead of Be Fearless and John DeLong. Absolutely Real and Trace Tetrick finished third.

 

A recent acquisition by Elite Five Racing at the beginning of 2026, JK’s Time to Shine paid $8.60 for the win. She is now two for four in 2026 and earned a new career best in her win Thursday. Harry Miller trains the filly, who is a product of Victory Hill Farm and the latest foal from Meetme At Harveys, who is a 100 percent producer of four racehorses, three of which are still racing.

 

A severe storm blew into the Harrah’s Hoosier Park area and cut the program short after JK’s Time to Shine’s win in the fifth race. Racing returns Friday, March 27 beginning at 5:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 


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