Anderson, IN – A trio of divisions of the fifth and penultimate leg of Indiana Sire Stakes for 2-year-old trotting colts was contested on the Wednesday (Sept. 2) card at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, with Steppinouttohelp, Fifty And Famous, and Tipsy In Vegas all picking up their first stakes scores of the season.
Steppinouttohelp kicked off the stakes action on the card in the $46,500 first split, delivering a 15-1 upset from the far outside with trainer Spence Taylor in the bike.
Away from post seven, Taylor hustled Steppinouttohelp to the front off the wings, racing as a parked and pressing second to the outside of Heffae (Lamar Wingard) through a :28 opening panel. Steppinouttohelp cleared on the backstretch and led the way to the half in :57.4 before coming under fire from a first-over Temporal Power (Joey Putnam) who charged alongside the leader at three-quarters in 1:27.3.
Steppinouttohelp turned away that foe, before facing new threats from Heffae to his inside, along with Let B Express (Kevin Lambright) and Fifty Proof (Trace Tetrick) who began to close from the backfield. Let B Express took aim before making an untimely break in stride late in the lane, where Steppinouttohelp was able to get to the line a quarter length in front in 1:56.1. Fifty Proof was a fast closing second, with Heffae in third just a half-length back of the winner.
The effort was a new career best and the second victory in nine career tries for Steppinouttohelp. Bred by Amos Schwartz, the Helpisontheway-Steppin Out gelding was a $5,000 bargain buy for owner Backroad Stable as last fall’s Midwest Standardbred Mixed Sale and now sports a career bankroll of $54,324.
The $46,500 second division belonged to Fifty And Famous who went first-over with leading driver Trace Tetrick en route to victory.
Leaving from the rail, Fifty And Famous was able to tuck in third with the even-money favorite, So Joyful (John De Long), trotting to the point in a :28.3 opening panel. Nectar Of The Gods (Mike Micallef) brushed to the front from second exiting the first turn, getting to the halfway point in a well-rated :58.4. Fifty And Famous was the first to move entering the far turn, charging to the leader’s wheel at three-quarters in 1:28.
Fifty And Famous moved alongside Nectar Of The Gods at the head of the lane, getting the better of that rival with So Joyful shaking loose behind that duo. Trotting home in :27, Fifty And Famous trotted to the wire 1-1/2 lengths clear in a career best 1:55.2. So Joyful rallied for the second spot, with Nectar Of The Gods holding sway for the third spot.
Fifty And Famous has now won two of four on the season, hitting the board in each try. John Barnard’s homebred son of Fiftydallarbill-Dance To Fame has earned $42,800 on the year.
The $47,000 third and final division changed complexion before trotters turned for the gate, with a late scratch of the undefeated Swan Good Bi. Tipsy In Vegas, with hall of famer Yannick Gingras in to drive, inherited favorite status before wiring the field from there.
Away from the outside, Tipsy In Vegas quickly crossed over before the first turn, taking the field of seven to the first quarter in :28. Unchallenged in the middle stages, Tipsy In Vegas got to the half in :58.1 before moving to three-quarters in 1:28 with Mendoza Mafia (Atlee Bender) in pursuit.
Mendoza Mafia moved to the outside in the stretch, taking aim at the favorite midway through the lane. Digging in gamely, Tipsy In Vegas fended off that foe by a length on the line to stop the timer in 1:55.3. Coperstone (John De Long) finished third, three lengths back of the winner.
Owned and trained by Missy Essig, Tipsy In Vegas has won four of seven on the season, banking $69,165. The gelded son of Helpisontheway-Tipsy In Dixie was bred by Brookside Stables, and a $9,000 purchase at the 2025 Midwest Standardbred Yearling Sale.
Racing continues at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Thursday (Sept. 3) with a 14-race program set to get underway at 5:30 p.m. The Thursday program also features $10,000 guarantees on both the Late Pick-4 (races 11-14) and Late High-5 (race 14) offered in partnership with the USTA’s Strategic Wagering program.
Harrah’s Hoosier Park will also conduct live racing on Monday, Sept. 7 with a special Labor Day Program. The Labor Day card will get underway at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8 will be dark at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, before racing resumes Wednesday through Saturday for the remainder of the holiday week.
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