A closer look at ‘Mamba’ and ‘Norway’
by Bob Heyden
Until the past couple of weekends, many thought Odds On Mr Mamba and On To Norway were Indiana standouts, not often translating to stardom on the national stage. That notion seems to have been put to rest with Odds On Mr Mamba taking down his North America Cup elim and final over Brandon Boulevard and defending HOY Beau Jangles. “Norway” won his Graduate leg on June 12 in a new career best of 1:49 3 with the greatest of ease stretching his incredible winning streak to 27.
Let’s take a deeper dive into these Hoosier hotshots.
ODDS ON MR MAMBA
1. A Feb. 17, 2023 homebred foal by owner Dana Parham’s Odds On Nourrir of Boca Raton, FL was sired by Odds On Equuleus whose claim to fame was being second by a neck in the Metro to Captaintreacherous in 2012 and runner-up again the following year in the Meadowlands Pace also to the “Captain.”
2. He was fourth in his career debut on July 30, 2025 but his :25.1 finale remains his quickest finish.
3. Melanie Wrenn just became the seventh female conditioner — nine Cups in total — to take the NA Cup.
4. Only once has he been in front at the first quarter marker and it was his biggest freshman win in the 250G INSS final.
5. His winning time of 1:48.1 last weekend in the Cup was not his lifetime mark.
6. He has never been passed in a race in 10 wins.
7. He’s on a 10-race winning streak and was not favored in his career debut or either start in Canada.
8. He’s not eligible to any of the Triple Crown races.
9. The closest finish in any of his 10-straight wins was a neck in his very wide but up-in-time NA CUP elim.
10. His combined margin of victory in his 10 rallies is 21¾ lengths.
ON TO NORWAY
1. He had 27-straight victories heading into last night’s (June 20) start at the Meadowlands in leg 3 of the Graduate. The first 26 were in Indiana with Hoosier Park hosting 25 and the Indianapolis Fairgrounds the other. That 1:53 flat effort at the fair marks the fastest trotting mile in the century-plus history of the grounds which once housed Greyhound.
2. His driver John De Long has what might be a record that will last a century or two, with 25 drives, 25 wins, favored every start, and all in the same state.
3. Three of his first four victories in the streak were for either $12,500 or $12,000.
4. Twice he’s won a six-figure pot during the streak: $185,000 in the Erskine on Oct. 31, 2025 and $250,000 in the INSS final on Oct. 20, 2025.
5. He paid $5.80, not the favorite, to start the streak on April 10, 2025 with Mike Peterson driving. The six-length margin in the first of 27-straight represents the biggest of the lot.
6. It’s 443 days as of June 20, 2026 since he last tasted defeat at Hoosier Park.
7. He paid $2.10 to win return seven times and $2.20 eight times.
8. He was bred at Bennett Farms in Fremont, MI.
9. Here are the three drivers who have guided him during the streak: the aforementioned Mike Peterson, the most successful and busiest by far John Delong with a spotless 25-race slate, and most recently Yannick Gingras who posted that sparkling 1.49.3 at The Meadowlands in his very first venture out of Indiana since his freshman season.
10. The farthest back he has been in any race during the streak is 6½ lengths on June 5 last year where he won by a half-length. Fittingly it was his closest win margin too. Twice he scored by a half-length, but never a nose, neck, or head during the streak.
