by James Platz

The top performers of the 2021 Indiana racing season were feted Saturday night (Jan. 22), with Hot Mess Express and Swingforthefences taking home multiple awards for their sophomore exploits. The banquet, sponsored by the Indiana Standardbred Association, Standardbred Advisory Board and Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, was held at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in Noblesville, IN.

Sam Bowie’s Hot Mess Express won 13 of 16 starts in 2021 for trainer Tony Alagna, netting the connections Pacer of the Year honors in Indiana. Banking $631,634 and collecting an Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final victory along with a pair of scores on the Grand Circuit, the Panther Hanover filly was also recognized as Indiana Sires Stakes divisional champion and 2021 Indiana Sired champion. Bred by Amy Giberson, Madeline Giberson and Ethan Giberson, Hot Mess Express was primarily driven by John DeLong in her Indiana starts.

Equally impressive were the achievements of Swingforthefences, 2021 Trotter of the Year in the Hoosier State. The Swan For All gelding, trained by Melanie Wrenn for owners David McDuffee and L&L Devisser LLC, hit the board in 19 of 20 seasonal starts, annexing 12 wins. Driven by Peter Wrenn, the 3-year-old trotter picked up victories in the $270,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final and Erskine Trot, and ventured outside the state to claim victory in a $156,300 Matron Stake division. Swingforthefences finished the campaign with $551,124 in earnings. He was also named Indiana Sired champion for his division.

Trace Tetrick was named Pari-Mutuel Driver of the Year in Indiana for 2021, and Tyler George was awarded Pari-Mutuel Trainer of the Year honors. The award is the eighth consecutive for Tetrick, who also secured his eighth straight Hoosier Park driving title last season. He finished the year with 403 wins at the Anderson oval. Tetrick ranked fourth in wins in North America with 559 victories and just over $6.4 million in earnings. George has been acknowledged as the top trainer in back-to-back seasons. Last year he registered his second Hoosier Park training title with 119 winners over the course of the 160-day meet. George finished 12th among North American trainers last season, sending out 174 winners and accumulating over $1.7 million in purse earnings.

Doug Rideout swept both the Indiana Fair Circuit Driver of the Year and Trainer of the Year categories. He tallied 85 winners at the fairs in 2021 and conditioned 68 winners including Indiana Sired Fair Circuit divisional champions Honorable Lady and Rojo Man. He also trained and piloted freshman colt Hand Dover Dan to a Governor’s Cup championship at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Annually one of the top trainers and reinsmen on the Indiana fair circuit, Rideout last claimed both categories in 2008.

Swingforthefence’s success garnered Small Breeder of the Year honors for Concord Stud Farm LLC. The Cream Ridge, NJ breeder was represented by three Indiana starters in 2021, with Swingforthefences leading all trotters in earnings in the state. Victory Hill Farm, Inc. added another Large Breeder of the Year award to their long list of accolades. It is the seventh straight year the LaGrange, IN.-based breeder has earned the award. Little Rocket Man, a winner of nearly $260,000 last season, served as the top performer. A group of 81 Victory Hill-bred starters earned $2.5 million last season, with $957,143 amassed in Indiana.

Progeny from Swan For All enjoyed another strong campaign in the Hoosier State, earning the stallion ISS Trotting Sire of the Year honors. Standing at Victory Hill Farm, it is the fifth consecutive year he has earned the title. Led by Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final winners Swingforthefences, Shirley Goodness, Whata Swan and M-M’s Dream, Swan For All produced 118 winners from 168 starters, racking up 403 victories and $6 million in earnings.

Fellow Victory Hill stallion Rockin Image added another ISS Pacing Sire of the Year credit to his resume. Previously recognized in 2015, 2017 and 2019, Rockin Image produced 232 winners from 292 starters in 2021, with that group collecting 820 trips to the winner’s circle and $8.2 million in earnings. He was represented by Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final winners Rockin Nola, Little Rocket Man and Dalby Hanover.

2021 Indiana Sired Fair Circuit Divisional Champions (based on points)

Two-Year-Old Filly Pace

Rockin Bambi (tie)

(Rockin Image—Intelligence)

Owner: Ar’tarrius Fleming

Trainer/Driver: Terry Skinner

Breeders: Broekhuis Stables LLC,

Ernie Hochstetler

Velstraightdreamer (tie)

(Straight Shooting—P H Dreamer)

Owners: King Racing Stable, Charlie K Racing Inc.

Trainer: Larry King

Drivers: Kevin Lambright, Mike Peterson

Breeder: Charlie K Racing Inc.

Two-Year-Old Colt Pace

Caches Miracle

(Aracache Hanover—Iva Miracle)

Owner: James Reed

Trainer: Donna Loney

Driver: Logan Loney

Breeders: Paul Webb, William Huggins

Two-Year-Old Filly Trot

Honorable Lady

(Jailhouse Jesse—Honorable Mother)

Owner/Breeder: Alan White

Trainer/Driver: Doug Rideout

Two-Year-Old Colt Trot

Rojo Man

(Swan For All—Ultimate Red)

Owners: Alan White, David Gamble

Trainer/Driver: Doug Rideout

Breeder: Alan White

Three-Year-Old Filly Pace

Sunburst Kada

(Net Ten Eom—Fox Valley Backoff)

Owner: Triple R Stables

Trainer/Driver: Clay Craib

Breeder: Dave Mast

Three-Year-Old Colt Pace

Lil Joe III

(Always A Virgin—Allamerican Mobile)

Owner: Turrondus Smith

Trainer: Terry Haimes

Drivers: Jay Cross, Gerald Miller,

Joey Putnam

Breeder: Karl Slabach

Three-Year-Old Filly Trot

Swan Fine Lady

(Swan For All—Ladyhattan)

Owner: Rocking Meadows Stable

Trainer: Mervin Schmucker

Drivers: Joey Putnam, Doug Rideout, Jordan Ross

Breeder: Kristin Wagler

Three-Year-Old Colt Trot

Northern Rocks

(Guccio—Matriarch)

Owner/Breeder: Martin Schmucker

Trainer/Driver: Alvin Miller

2021 Indiana Sires Stakes Divisional Champions (based on points)

Two-Year-Old Filly Pace

Lorraine Smoke

(JK Endofanera—Rebid)

Owners: Cheyenne Yoder, James Yoder

Trainer: James Yoder

Driver: James Yoder

Breeder: Lyle D. Bontrager

Two-Year-Old Colt Pace

Fulfullnmydestiny

(Tellitlikeitis—Driven By Destiny)

Owner: Brett Boyd Racing Inc.

Trainer: James Yoder

Driver: James Yoder

Breeder: Brett Boyd Racing Inc.

Two-Year-Old Filly Trot

M-M’s Dream

(Swan For All—Trading Places)

Owners: Eleven Star Stables,

Frank Baldachino, Hillside Stables

Trainer: Henry Graber Jr.

Driver: Sam Widger

Breeder: Mervin J. Miller

Two-Year-Old Colt Trot

Dover In Motion

(Dover Dan—Keystone Sadie)

Owners: M&M Racing, Norbert Maza

Trainer: Jamie Macomber

Driver: Ricky Macomber Jr.

Breeder: Lyle Dean Slabach

Three-Year-Old Filly Pace

Hot Mess Express

(Panther Hanover—My Heart Was True)

Owner: Sam Bowie

Trainer: Tony Alagna

Driver: John DeLong

Breeders: Amy E. Giberson, Madeline Marie Giberson, Ethan T. Giberson

Three-Year-Old Colt Pace

Virgo

(Always A Virgin—Star Of The Show)

Owners: Howard Taylor, Jeffrey Billings, Dylan Davis

Trainer: Dylan Davis

Driver: Trace Tetrick

Breeder: Dustin L. Miller

Three-Year-Old Filly Trot

Swift Swanda

(Swan For All—Cheetah Hall)

Owners: Anthony Lombardi, The Kales Company LLC

Trainer: Erv Miller

Driver: Trace Tetrick

Breeder: Lavon L. Miller

Three-Year-Old Colt Trot

Brookview Bolt

(Swan For All—Witty’s Winner)

Owners: Burke Racing Stable, Knox

Services, J&T Silva – Purnell & Libby, Weaver Bruscemi

Trainer: Ron Burke

Driver: Sam Widger

Breeder: Brookview Farms

Aged Mare Pace

Rockin Nola

(Rockin Image—Gottogetoutmore)

Owners: J P Racing, Suttons Bay Racing

Trainer: Joe Putnam

Driver: Joey Putnam

Breeder: Mahlon E. Lambright

Aged Stallion/Gelding Pace

Little Rocket Man

(Rockin Image—Gt Miss Royal)

Owners: Russell Beeman, Jack Freeman

Trainer: Melissa Essig

Driver: John DeLong

Breeder: Victory Hill Farm Inc.

Aged Mare Trot

Morairtime

(Airzoom Lindy—Moira Hall)

Owners: James Moore III

Trainer: Carol Jamieson-Parker

Driver: Jack Parker Jr.

Breeder: John M. Bontrager Jr.

Aged Stallion/Gelding Trot

Whata Swan

(Swan For All—Tanya’s Legacy)

Owner: John Barnard

Trainer: Luis Quevedo

Driver: Trace Tetrick

Breeder: Leonard J. Miller

2021 Indiana Sired Champions (based on earnings)

Two-Year-Old Filly Pace

Trick Of The Light

(Odds On Equuleus—Gordjuss)

Owners: Country Club Acres Inc.,

Joe Sbrocco, Kirk Nichols

Trainer: Brian Brown

Drivers: Mike Oosting, Trace Tetrick

Breeder: Adam J. Eicher

Two-Year-Old Colt Pace

Dalby Hanover

(Rockin Image—Don’t Deny Me)

Owner: Charles Stein

Trainer: Britney Dillon

Driver: Joey Putnam

Breeder: Hanover Shoe Farms Inc.

Two-Year-Old Filly Trot

M-M’s Dream

(Swan For All—Trading Places)

Owners: Eleven Star Stables,

Frank Baldachino, Hillside Stables

Trainer: Henry Graber Jr.

Driver: Sam Widger

Breeder: Mervin J. Miller

Two-Year-Old Colt Trot

Dover In Motion

(Dover Dan—Keystone Sadie)

Owners: M&M Racing, Norbert Maza

Trainer: Jamie Macomber

Driver: Ricky Macomber Jr.

Breeder: Lyle Dean Slabach

Three-Year-Old Filly Pace

Hot Mess Express

(Panther Hanover—My Heart Was True)

Owner: Sam Bowie

Trainer: Tony Alagna

Driver: John DeLong

Breeders: Amy E. Giberson, Madeline Marie Giberson, Ethan T. Giberson

Three-Year-Old Colt Pace

Goldie’s Legacy

(Always A Virgin—Ag-N-Au Bluegrass)

Owners: Pollack Racing LLC, Jeff Cullipher

Trainer: Jeff Cullipher

Drivers: Yannick Gingras, Sam Widger

Breeder: Dave M. Yoder

Three-Year-Old Filly Trot

Shirley Goodness

(Swan For All—Stirling Debutant)

Owners: Bill Beechy, Bradley Maxwell,

Kenneth Frieder

Trainer: Melanie Wrenn

Driver: Peter Wrenn

Breeders: Alan R. Troyer and Larry W. Troyer

Three-Year-Old Colt Trot

Swingforthefences

(Swan For All—Sunday Yankee)

Owners: David McDuffee, L&L Devisser LLC

Trainer: Melanie Wrenn

Driver: Peter Wrenn

Breeder: Concord Stud Farm LLC