by James Platz

Hoosier Champions Night at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino always manages to produce interesting storylines, and Friday night (Oct. 11) was no exception. Eight $250,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Finals were contested on the 15-race card, along with a quartet of finals for older trotters and pacers. The night produced several memorable moments for those that follow the Indiana program and know the players.

When this writer was first introduced to harness racing in the Hoosier State, Jay Cross was perennially one of the top drivers at Hoosier Park, and a formidable conditioner. That was more than two decades ago. Cross, now 69 years young, and his wife, Pam, continue to operate a small stable that competes on the Indiana Fair Circuit and at the Anderson oval. In the twilight of his racing career, the veteran horseman showed Friday that he still has the skills and savvy to get not one, but two horses to the winner’s circle on the program’s biggest night.

“It’s special because of my age,” said the Indiana Hall of Famer. “You don’t have many of those nights anymore. You don’t get those opportunities anymore. You know those are special nights and you know what it means.”

He struck first in the night’s seventh race, a $70,000 contest for older pacing mares. Jay steered Walkin On Sunshine, a 4-year-old mare he also trains, to a :55 half and maintained a half-length advantage at the wire in a time of 1:50.2. The victory was the eighth seasonal win in 19 starts for the Always A Virgin—Hatsoff Hanover mare, bred by Victory Hill Farm Inc. and owned by Maynard Miller, Daniel Lehman and Michael Yoder. Sent off as the 4-5 favorite, Walkin On Sunshine surpassed $300,000 in career earnings with the victory.

“I thanked the guys again for the opportunity,” the veteran conditioner and catch driver said. “They could have sold her for a lot of money. They could have given her to somebody else. But they stuck with us.”

Jay wasn’t finished. He would secure another triumph in the night’s 12th race, this time with slight second choice Chandler Bing. Trainer Alvin Miller and Jay have teamed for many wins in the Hoosier State over the years. The last time they joined forces to capture an Indiana Sires Stakes final came in 2007 with then-sophomore Rocket Fuel. Racing at Indiana Downs, the Dontgetinmyway gelding scored a 1:52 victory, winning by a length and a quarter as the co-second choice.

Friday night, Jay and the Miller-trained Chandler Bing powered home in :26.4 to win by 2½ lengths to capture the $250,000 finale for freshman pacing colts, stopping the clock in 1:51.2. Bred by Glen Yoder, the son of Tellitlikeitis—Northern Beauty is owned by Miller and Twila Harts, who also owned Rocket Fuel with her husband, Phil. A $29,000 yearling purchase, Chandler Bing has earned over $215,000 this season by virtue of five wins from nine outings, including four-straight.

“I thanked Alvin for giving me the opportunity,” Jay said. “That means a lot. I started the season with the colt and he stayed with me.”

On the same night that Rocket Fuel scored the first of multiple Indiana Sires Stakes finals wins, a young Mike Peterson steered freshman pacing colt Robin I Scoot to victory at Indiana Downs for trainer Dan Perdue. That night he triggered a slight upset with the second choice, defeating favored Freddyscooter. Seventeen years later he reached the winner’s circle again, this time with 34-1 longshot trotting filly Martz Seven.

“I’ve won a few of those races, but they were going for $100,000 then,” Peterson said. “I just try to make the most of every opportunity. I liked her right from the get-go. She was a longshot on the board, but early I thought she was one of the best fillies in the division. She had a couple issues over the summer and she made some breaks. She was better in her last start and she was good tonight.” 

Racing near the back of the field through the early fractions, Peterson used Hoosier Park’s long stretch to his advantage. Kicking home in :27.3, the Swan For All—La Mirada freshman picked off her opponents one by one on the way to a three-quarter length victory in the $250,000 final in a time of 1:55.2, a new lifetime mark. She returned a hearty $69.60, $35.20, and $18.60 across the board to her backers. Walter Haynes, Jr. trains the filly for owner Stephen Stoll and Black And White Stable. The first foal from Chapter Seven mare La Mirada was bred by Martz Creek Farm and Roman Stoll. The $9,500 Hoosier Classic purchase has now banked more than $210,000 with Peterson as the primary driver.

“I think it’s great, small stables, not big-time owners,” the driver said of winning for the connections. “Small guys in the game, I think it’s great for guys like that. I’m just lucky to get hooked up with them.”

In 2017, Michigan horseman Brett Boyd shipped to Running Aces and needed a driver. He found James Yoder. From there the relationship grew, producing an Indiana Sires Stakes victory as Yoder trained and piloted Boyd’s Katkin American in 2020. Friday night the roles were reversed. Yoder, now an accomplished trainer in his own right, called upon Boyd’s son, Braxten, to drive sophomore trotter Black Gold. Together, they capitalized on the break by heavy favorite Danger and triggered the biggest upset of the night. The 129-1 longshot crossed the wire first to claim the $250,000 final for 3-year-old trotting fillies.

“I can’t really describe it,” Yoder said of the relationship he and his wife, Cheyenne, share with the Boyd family. “It’s great to be surrounded by family and friends like that. They’re closer family than they are friends. They’ve been a big part of our program. We wouldn’t be where we are today without them.”

Bred by Ernie Lambright and purchased as a yearling by Yoder’s in-laws, Stephan and Elizabeth Ray, for $15,000, the Dover Dan—Hp Guccio Girl lass had won only two starts this season. Starting from the trailing position in post 10, Braxten was able to pick up cover in the outer flow as the field raced into the final turn. In the stretch, Black Gold closed fastest of them all, trotting home in :27.4 to win by 1¼ lengths, timed in 1:54.3. She lit up the tote board, paying $260.20, $57.80, and $88.60. Black Gold doubled her career earnings, which now stand at $250,000, with the win.

Other Final winners on the night were:

• Gruesome Twosome (Daryl Bontrager) winning the 3-year-old Colt Trot in 1:54.3.

• Can’ttouchthese (John DeLong) winning the freshman pacing fillies’ event in 1:51.1.

• Eugene The Genius (Mike Oosting) taking the 2-year-old Trotting Colts’ final in 1:54.1.

• Jada Caroline (Tim Tetrick) upset Lets Go Endofaera to win the sophomore pacing fillies’ final in 1:50.1.

• Noblesville (Dale Yeah) taking the sophomore pacing colts’ final in 1:50.

• Flagman (Rick Plano) winning the older male trot in 1:52.1.

• M-M’s Dream (Henry Graber, Jr.) winning the older trotting mares’ test in 1:54.2.

• Little Rocket Man (David Miller) taking the older male pace in 1:49.1.