Photo by Dean Gillette Atlee Bender scores 1,000 th win By Tammy Knox Atlee Bender, top five driver at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, added a new statistic to his credentials with his 1,000 th career driving win Friday, June 26. The 34-year-old celebrated the milestone with trotter Go Pikachu Go in the evening’s fifth race. It was a big day for Bender, who started off at the Marion County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Ky. winning all three of his races and actually scoring his 1,000 th with two-year-old filly pacer Aww Suki Suki Na for trainer Joey Ayotte. Bender ended up winning all three of his drives on the day in Kentucky before scooting north to Harrah’s Hoosier Park for the night program. Family and friends joined him in the winner’s circle with a banner and pink shirts with “1,000 wins and Counting” to celebrate the accomplishment with the Ron Burke-trained Go Pikachu Go. Bender drove in 14 total races Friday, June 26, hitting the board with half of his horses. Bender and his wife, Hannah, reside in Noblesville with their two-year-old daughter, Linden. The Goshen, Ind. native has had a banner year so far, winning seven on the card at Oak Grove in early May to establish a new track record for most wins in one program at the Kentucky track. He has had numerous multiple wins thus far at Harrah’s Hoosier Park this season with his 73 rd win of the meet recorded on his milestone night.

Photo by Dean Gillette Indiana Sires Stakes continued Saturday, June 27 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. To set the tone, an oldie but goodie kicked off the night with an upset win as Joker Rockwell got the laugh in the $8,500 conditioned pace. Driven by Jordan Ross, Joker Rockwell began from post one and when the gate opened, Ross surveyed the field before deciding what to do. He floated Joker Rockwell out and got away in fourth as Premier Romeo and Atlee Bender took over the top spot heading into the first turn. The field was in single file through the quarter in :26.3 and half in :54.3. Hello Sweetie Boy and John DeLong began the chain of outer flow traffic, but Joker Rockwell opted to stay inside around the final turn. Joker Rockwell was shuffled back to nearly last at the head of the lane. The finish scenario looked a lot different at the head of the stretch than it did late in the race. Joker Rockwell was covered up and appeared to be going the wrong direction. When the passing lane arrived, there was just enough room to get by opponents on the inside. He still had two more horses ahead of him, including race favorite Premier Romeo and Downbythe ocean and Kyle Wilfong. Ross found a seam between those two horses and shot through to the lead, fending off a late charge on the outside by Low Rider for the win by a neck in 150.1. Premier Romeo was third. Joker Rockwell paid $28.20 for the win. The six-year-old son of JK Endofanera is owned by Caldwell Mamie Racing and trained by Charles Stewart. Glen Hershberger and Marlin Fry bred the gelding, who is out of Fry’s race mare Nora Rockwell. It was his second win of 2026 and his 16 th overall. He took his career best time of 1:49.2 last year as a five-year-old at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Later in the card, Brooklets Rockette and Kevin Lambright earned another win in the $12,000 conditioned pace for fillies and mares. The Rockin Image four-year-old, owned and bred by Gary Wilcox from a Personal Power mare he trained, moved first over at the half and kept on rolling, winning by two lengths in 1:51.0. Rose Run Vision and LeWayne Miller finished second over Sadhaka N and Trace Tetrick for third. Brooklets Rockette is trained by Robert Taylor. She is now four for five in 2026 and her win Saturday was a new lifetime best. Overall, she has seven wins and more than $75,000 in earnings. Earlier in the day, the final Breakfast at the Hop was held featuring two-year-olds in qualifying races. The evening event was Family Friendly Saturdays featuring activities geared toward younger racing fans.

Photo by Dean Gillette A little luck and a lot of skill brought Lucky Jade and Brandon Bates across the wire first Friday, June 26 in the $16,000 Indiana Sires Stakes eligible event at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The duo were open length winners in a time of 1:51.2 over the sloppy racetrack that endured rains all day. Lucky Jade began from the outside post six and went straight for the lead, securing the top spot by the first turn with heavily favored We Got History and Kyle Wilfong slipping in behind him before the quarter in :27.1. We Got History was then out and moving and took over before the half in :550. Lucky Jade was able to stay tucked in around the turn before moving out and retaking the lead at the head of the lane. In the stretch, Lucky Jade took off, moving away from the field to win by three and one-half lengths in 1:51.2, a final quarter in :27.2. We Got History finished second over Check Your Pockets and LeWayne Miller for third. Lucky Jade paid $8.00 for the win. The sophomore son of Luck Be Withyou is owned by Earnest Sork, Nori Nessa, and Shawn Nessa, who trains and stables out of the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in Southern Illinois. Shawn, a former Iowa State High School wrestling champion, moved the ridgling to the Ken Rucker barn for the summer in Indiana. Mervin Lehman bred and raised the three-year-old, who earned a new career best time in the effort. Lucky Jade won four of nine last year as a freshman while racing on the Illinois county fair circuit for some of those starts. Overall, he now has five wins and more than $63,000 in earnings for his connections. He was one of six who sold at public auction as a yearling, bringing $5,700 at the Midwest Classic Sale in Shipshewana. He is the latest foal from the Four Starzzz Shark mare Jinglejanglejingle, who had a mark of 1:51.3 herself with over $400,000 in earnings. Lucky Jade is now her quickest foal with all four making it to the races. Indiana Sires Stakes divisions on the card grabbed the spotlight, but the evening also included a $22,000 Open Handicap Pace. M-M’s bud didn’t have luck at the draw as he began from the outside post seven, but he did have racing luck, getting away third for driver John DeLong behind Golden Bay N and Trace Tetrick. He was flushed out at the half and kept on rolling, winning by open lengths in 1:49.3. Crooked Smile and Jordan Ross finished second over Golden Bay N. M-M’s Bud paid $7.80 for the win. He is owned by Ted Comerford, Alvin Miller and Marvin Schwartz. Miller trains the five-year-old son of Tellitlikeitis, who earned his fifth win in 10 starts for 2026. He took his career best time of 1:48.4 in his previous start at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. DeLong and Miller were back in the winner’s circle for the nightcap with standout pacer Tellmeaboutit, who earned his fourth win of 2026. The now 10-year-old son of Tellitlikeitis recently went over the $1 million mark in earnings for Miller and Twila Harts, who have owned him his entire career.

Photo by Dean Gillette The Thursday card at Harrah’s Hoosier Park featured the third round of Indiana Sires Stakes action. Along with those races were several Indiana Sires Stakes eligible events with a group of Swan for Alls dominating the top four spots among three-year-old colt and gelding trotters. Nighthawk Zette and LeWayne Miller continued their winning ways, scoring their fourth win of the season in 1:54.4, a new lifetime mark. Nighthawk Zette began from the outside post seven and left for the lead, but so did Hawt Yoga and Marcus Miller to their inside. The sophomore went with them for part of the way before backing off and slipping into the three hole as Hawt Yoga went onto the lead. Littleknownexpress and Lavern Hostetler sat in second as the field went by the quarter in :27.3. Down the backstretch, Nighthawk Zette moved to the outside and made a bold rush up to take over the top spot at the half in :57.1. Around the final turn, Nighthawk Zette was in command but Swan’s Masterpiece and Dan Shetler were on the move and came up to match them stride for stride to the top of the stretch. Once the field turned for home, Nighthawk Zette got a slight advantage and then began to move away from his opponents. He was a winner by two lengths in 1:54.4 with a final quarter in :28.1. Swan’s Masterpiece finished second over Hawt Yoga to make it a Swan for All trifecta. Nighthawk Zette paid $4.20 as the favorite in the field. The three-year-old had limited starts last year at two and did not win a race. However, he has returned this season with impressive skills, winning four of 10 starts and more than $40,000 for the season. He is owned by his current connections, which includes L & S Racing, Lyndar Stables, and Richard Freese. Cozette McAvoy of Pennsylvania bred and raised the gelding, who was purchased by LeWayne Miller for $8,000 from the Standardbred Sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania as a yearling. He is the latest foal from the Credit Winner mare Zette Starlet, who was a winner in 1:54.4 with earnings of nearly $200,000. She is a 100 percent producer as a brood mare and has four foals, including Blackhawk Zette with a mark of 1:53.0 and earnings of more than $422,000. Nighthawk Zette is now her second fastest foal and her only Indiana sired one. Also a winner on the card was veteran claimer Meadowbrook Mark from the Nikki Hauck Stable and driven by Atlee Bender. The seven-year-old Dover Dan gelding, owned by Haucks Racing Stables, sat in third before moving out and headed to the lead, winning by one ad one-quarter lengths in 1:55.1. Rock Party and Trace Tetrick finished second over Ponda Bear and Kevin Lambright. Meadowbrook Mark paid $32.20 for the win. Bred by Karl Miller, he is the son of former Indiana Sires Stakes champion Foxy Swan, a winner in 1:57 with $234,000 on her card. Meadowbrook Mark is her first foal. She has also produced Tarzan, a winner in 1:53.2 with more than $200,000 in earnings. She has a three-year-old this season named Meadowbrook Duke who is racing and a weanling filly by Rebuff named Meadowbrook Zoey.

Photo by Dean Gillette Flying Fozzie flew home Wednesday, June 24 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The card included numerous two-year-olds with Flying Fozzie winning his division of the $12,000 conditioned trot in 1:58.0. Driven and trained by Doug Rideout, Flying Fozzie got away in second from the two hole. Like a Rock G and Kyle Wilfong grabbed the top spot and led the field through the quarter in :28.4. Heading to the half, he was able to open up several lengths on the field, passing by the second marker in :59.2. Flying Fozzie was out and moving first over around the final turn. When he got into the stretch, he took over, trotting home in :27.4 for the win in 1:58.0. A pair of Temporal Hanover youngsters finished second with Haven Lane Diezel and Trace Tetrick finishing second over Like A Rock G finishing third. Flying Fozzie paid $6.00 for the win. The Helpisontheway gelding is owned by Julie Rideout, Dr. Alan White, Dave Gamble, and Matthew Burton. Luckiana Farms bred the gelding, who sold under the name My Warm Wishes for $18,000 in the Midwest Standardbred Horse Sale. It was the first career start for Flying Fozzie, who is the first foal from the Trixton mare Missy Trix, a winner in 1:56.1 with nearly $100,000 on her card before becoming a brood mare. Another two-year-old trotting winner on the card was Janae from the Henry Graber Jr. barn. Driven by Jordan Ross, the Swan for All freshman traveled gate to wire to win by two and three-quarter lengths in 1:58.4, a final panel in :28.4 Verity and Jared Finn finished second over Tempo of the North and Aaron Stutzman. Both Verity and Tempo of the North are by first crop sire Temporal Hanover. Janae was the favorite of the field, paying $2.60. The filly is owned by Indiana Stables, Michael Robinson, Backroad Stable, and Zippett Racing Stable. It was the filly’s first career start.

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Freshman daughter of world champion mare wins

A couple of Indiana veterans turned in wins during the Father’s Day card at Vernon Downs Sunday, June 21. HC Commander dug in gamely in the stretch to win by open lengths in the $4,000 conditioned pace in a time of 1:56.4. HC Commander and Truman Gale, nicknamed the Night Train, took control of the field from the start, sprinting to the top spot from the middle of the track, but his time on the lead was short lived. Sunuma Beach and Claude Huckabone III were out and moving before the first turn arrived and slid over to the top spot in the first turn followed swiftly by race favorite Keg Party and Chris Long, who were the third leaders at the quarter in :28.0. The tempo kept everyone in single file to the half in :57.4 before horses began to move to the outside. Gale looked over his shoulder and saw the outer flow forming from the back led by Ourrhythmnblues N and John MacDonald. That was the que for HC Commander to get out and moving heading into he final turn. HC Commander powered up to challenge Keg Party and got a half ahead in the final turn but could not clear to the lead as Keg Party fought back along the inside. In the lane, HC Commander took back over and rallied home to a two-length advantage at the wire over Keg Party. Choreographer and Frank Affrunti moved up the inside to finish third. HC Commander paid $6.42 for the win. The seven-year-old son of Always a Virgin is owned by Adam Friedland and was bred by Herman Miller. Gary Gibson trains the gelding, who earned his 17 th career win from 159 starts. Overall, he just surpassed the $200,000 mark in earnings with his career best time of 1:50.4 taken at Scioto Downs as a four-year-old. HC Commander began his career in Indiana in the Henry Graber Jr. barn before eventually making his way to Ohio and then further East. In the very next race, Gorgeous View and Jimmy Whittemore rallied gate to wire to win the optional claiming event in a time of 1:56.1. The 12-year-old son of He’s Gorgeous was four lengths ahead of Get Back to Work and Truman Gale and Major Steel and Frank Affrunti, who finished second and third, respectively. Gorgeous View is owned and trained by Kenneth Dawson. Alvin Schwartz bre and raised the veteran gelding, who earned his first win of 2026. Overall, he has 38 wins from 322 starts and more than $288,000 in earnings. Gorgeous View began his training at the Illinois State Fair under the direction of Tom Simmons. He took his career best time of 1:51.0 at Northfield Park.

Photo by Dean Gillette Watch Miss Tucky and Brad Ferguson gave fans something to watch Saturday, June 20. With a herd of horses heading to the wire, the Indiana trotter gained the advantage late to win the $18,000 Open 2-3 Handicap at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. With the rail horse scratched, Watch Miss Tucky slid over to the inside starting spot and left the gate with a little speed, but not enough to get a top spot. Calculated Concept and John DeLong to her outside had early speed and it appeared she would get away fourth but she was shuffled back as race favorite Operator and Marcus Miller got in the hole right in front of her before the quarter in :26.4. Finite and Trace Tetrick led the way to the half in :56.2. That’s when Operator and Watch Miss Tucky both moved to the outside. The field was tightly packed around the final turn with four in and three out. Watch Miss Tucky was getting a perfect second over journey to the head of the lane. She tipped to the outside and dug in gamely to get by the top ones. CS Flying Co-Pilot and Jordan Ross were stuck in behind horses and finally got room late to move up the inside. But Watch Miss Tucky had good momentum, getting the edge by three-quarters at the wire in 1:54.0. CS Flying Co-Pilot was second, just a nose ahead of ER Kelly and LeWayne Miller in the three-way photo. Less than three lengths separated the entire field at the wire. Watch Miss Tucky and ER Kelly were the longest shots on the board in the race, paying out some big prices for the exotics in the race. Watch Miss Tucky paid $30.20 for the win while ER Kelly paid $11.20 for show. Watch Miss Tucky is owned by Neil Coleman and Lloyd Schneiderman. Coleman trains the five-year-old daughter of Pinetucky, who was bred by Black Creek Farm. That’s four wins in nine starts for Watch Miss Tucky this season. Overall, she has 12 wins and more than $129,000 in earnings. She took her career best time of 1:53.1 earlier in June at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Switching gaits to the pace, Goo Goo Won and Kyle Wilfong were winners in the evening’s featured $22,000 Filles and Mares Open Pace. The seven-year-old daughter of Fred and Ginger sat in the two hole before finding room in the lane and scoring the win by a neck over Wild Rosa and Brandon Bates. Can’ttouchthese and John DeLong finished third in the 1:50.2 mile. Goo Goo Won paid $13.40 for the win. She is a homebred owned by breeder Judy Taylor, with her son, Howard, also one of the breeders on the mare from the family’s sire Fred and Ginger. It was win number 28 for Goo Goo Won, who is closing in on a half million in career earnings. She is a member of the sub 1:50 club, taking her 1:49.4 mark last season at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.