On To Norway, Whoomp lead Indiana award winners
by James Platz
The best and brightest in Indiana last season were celebrated Saturday evening (Jan. 24) at the 2025 Indiana Standardbred Awards banquet. The event, 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. On To Norway was recognized as Trotter of the Year in the state, while Whoomp took home the hardware as Pacer of the Year.
On To Norway earned the award on the strength of a sensational sophomore campaign. He thrilled the racing world with a near-flawless season racing exclusively in the Hoosier State. The Muscle Massive—One Class Act gelding raced second in his sophomore debut before reeling off a record 23 consecutive victories. Driven by John De Long, the Ron Burke trainee captured the $250,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final before adding the Grade 2 Carl Erskine and five other open stakes to close out the season for the ownership group of Burke Racing Stable, Frank Baldachino, Black And White Stable and Michael Rosenthal. Bred by Bennett Farms, Inc., On To Norway finished the year with $636,294 on his card, also recognized as Indiana Sired Champion for his division.
The success of On To Norway earned Bennett Farms, Inc. Small Breeder of the Year honors. The Fremont, MI breeding operation was represented by two Indiana-sired starters in 2025 with earnings of $662,405 nationally.
Freshman pacing filly Whoomp picked up wins in key events late in the season to earn Pacer of the Year in a close contest. The Rockin Image—Nightcap homebred won eight of 13 starts for breeders Bo and Pat De Long, who own the filly with Jesse De Long. Trained by Roger Welch and driven in all but one start by De Long, Whoomp finished the season with four consecutive wins, claiming victory in the $250,000 Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final and $201,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stakes. Her seasonal earnings reached $349,601, edging sophomore Rock Shines Again ($322,625) and freshman Odds On Mr Mamba ($314,405).
The success of Whoomp, Rock Shines Again, Dancingdreamer ($185,875), Somemore Blue ($279,566) and many others helped Rockin Image secure the award as Indiana Pacing Sire of the Year. Standing at Victory Hill Farm, the son of Rocknroll Hanover was represented by 308 starters in 2025. Of the group, 207 were winners, collecting a combined 622 victories and accumulating purses exceeding $7.6 million. In Indiana Sires Stakes, Rockin Image led all pacing sires with 33 starters that earned more than $1.7 million. His closest competition, JK Endofanera, netted just under $1 million cumulatively from a group of 32 starters. Rockin Image’s freshman starters alone combined for over $1.1 million in purses. This is the fifth time the sire has received the award.
Swan For All continued his dominance in Indiana, named Trotting Sire of the Year for the ninth consecutive season. Producing 152 winners from 206 starters in 2025, his progeny banked more than $6.3 million in purses nationally. His 41 Indiana Sires Stakes starters nearly doubled the next closest sire. Freshman starters raked in over $800,000 in earnings – nearly four times the competition – and all starters combined for $1.37 million, almost double the next closest sire’s total. Top freshmen included Indiana Sired Champion For Dayze ($263,000), Swan Affect ($134,684), Power N Steam ($66,219), and Swan Bi Bi ($86,129).
Trace Tetrick also continued his run of dominance as the leading driver in the Hoosier State, named Pari-Mutuel Driver of the Year for the 12th consecutive season. Last year, Tetrick picked up his 14th Hoosier Park driving title by steering 352 winners over the 160-day meet. He topped $4.4 million in purse earnings at the Anderson oval. In Indiana Sires Stakes competition, he guided a trio of final winners for trainer Tyler George, reaching the winner’s circle with Indiana Sired Champion Rock Shines Again, Super Final winner Miss Fancy Nancy, and Rollin Rosie.
Like Tetrick, George is also a repeat winner, claiming his sixth straight Pari-Mutuel Trainer of the Year award. Successfully defending his Hoosier Park training title in 2025, George sent out a meet-record 165 winners over 160 days of racing, with starters earning $2.3 million in purses. The new standard eclipsed his previous mark of 138 wins established in 2024. Nationally, the conditioner collected 201 wins and more than $2.8 million in purses last season. George is closing in on 2,000 career wins with 1,970 currently.
Doug Rideout led all fair drivers in wins last season and earned his fifth consecutive Fair Circuit Driver of the Year award. Rideout, who is also one of the top trainers on the Indiana fair circuit, finished the campaign with 89 trips to the winner’s circle, 28 more than his nearest competition. Rideout conditioned and piloted freshman Yearoffear and sophomore Won’t Let’em to Governor’s Cup Championship victories.
Larry King was again recognized as Fair Circuit Trainer of the Year, his second time winning the award. Last season he sent out 71 winners to Rideout’s 63 to take the title. Horses in the stable earning Indiana Sired Fair Circuit Point Champions designations include freshmen Velgetthisstraight, Vel Im Good and sophomores Vel Drinks On Tina and Don’t Tell Rosa. King also scored a Governor’s Cup Championship with freshman pacing colt Velcharlyvelcharly.
Pond-A-Acres snapped Victory Hill Farm’s run of 10 straight years as the state’s Large Breeder of the Year. The New Haven, IN nursery was represented by 29 starters in 2025 earning nearly $1.1 million in the state and more than $1.25 million nationally. Indiana Sires Stakes final winner and Hoosier Park track record holder Ponda Jet 4, 1:50s ($779,132) is one of the top horses bred by Pond-A-Acres currently racing.
