Anderson, IN — Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino played host to a stakes filled card on Monday (May 29) for a special Memorial Day program. The evening’s 13-race card featured the opening round of Indiana Sires Stakes action for the 3-year-old competitors.

The 2023 Indiana Sires Stakes program will feature eight legs throughout the season and culminate with the $250,000 Super Finals on Oct. 13.

Driver John DeLong scored four stakes victories on the evening’s card and swept the pacing filly division after steering Queen’s Reign and Polks Image to victory.

In the opening division, Queen’s Reign started her 3-year-old campaign impressively as she moved first-over around the final turn before tracking down the pace setting Tell Me Please to get the victory by a half-length over Sweet Tell and Ricky Macomber Jr. in 1:52.1. Trained by Ernie Gaskin, the daughter of JK Endofanera-Queen’s Gold scored her first win of the season and fourth lifetime victory from 13 starts. Owned and bred by Watermark Farm, Queen’s Reign has now amassed $182,500.

Polks Image pushed her undefeated streak to eight after winning in 1:52. Dean Gillette Photography.

In the second and final division for the pacing fillies, Polks Image pushed her undefeated streak to eight after winning in 1:52. Trained by Jeff Cullipher, the daughter of Rockin Image-Polk Dot Hanover left alertly from post two and repelled Sleazy Mama and Trace Tetrick late in the lane to get the victory. Owned by Pollack Racing and Jeff Cullipher, Polks Image is a perfect eight-for-eight this season. Bred by Dave Mast, Polks Image has now earned $119,798 in lifetime purse earnings.

DeLong teamed up with trainer Missy Essig for his other two stakes wins on the evening’s program. Texsong Soprano and DeLong utilized gate-to-wire tactics to capture the opening division for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings in 1:53.2. Using a :27.3 closing quarter, Texsong Soprano trotted away from his competition by finishing three lengths to the good. Owned by Lillian Farms and Joe Yoder, the son of Text Me-Muscling In is now two-for-two to start his 3-year-old season and has won seven of 12 lifetime starts. Bred by Abraham Miller, Texsong Soprano has now earned $205,222 lifetime.

In the final division of stakes action, DeLong steered 3-year-old trotting filly Swanya to an upset victory in 1:54.3. Utilizing a :27.2 final quarter, Swanya tracked down the heavily favored Stella Rose and Michael Oosting late in the lane to get the victory. The 3-year-old daughter of Swan For All-Tanya’s Legacy scored her fourth win from six starts this season. Bred by Leonard J. Miller, Swanya is owned by Jacalyn Beeman.

Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s leading driver Trace Tetrick swept the 3-year-old pacing colt divisions as he steered Coach Stefanos to victory for trainer Erv Miller and Why Not Now to victory for trainer Dylan Davis.

Coach Stefanos delivered as the heavy betting favorite, winning by 3-1/2 lengths in a new lifetime best of 1:49.4. The gelded son of Tellitlikeitis-Watch N Be Watched is owned by Kenneth Duffy, D & M Trading II and Mr. John Stefanos. Bred by Victory Hill Farm, Coach Stefanos has now won seven of 12 lifetime starts.

Employing a similar strategy in the second division, Tetrick sent Why Not Now to the front and never looked back. Why Not Now utilized a :26 closing quarter to finish 4-3/4 lengths in front of Buzzsaw Russ and DeLong and stop the timer in a new lifetime best of 1:49.1. Why Not Now is now four-for-four this season. The son of Always A Virgin-Star Of The Show is owned by Howard Taylor, Dylan Davis and Jeffrey Billings and was bred by Dustin Miller.

Ponda Jet extended a win streak of his own in the second division for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings as he went gate-to-wire in 1:51.4 and recorded his fourth straight victory of the season. The 1:51.4 clocking was a national season’s record for 3-year-old trotting geldings and a new lifetime best for the Jay Hochstetler trainee. Driven by Kyle Wilfong, Ponda Jet held off Helpfirstedition and DeLong late in the lane to get the victory by three parts of a length. Owned by Connie Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz, the son of Dover Dan-Ponda’s Lucky Lady has now earned $113,200 lifetime.

Naturdays and Matt Krueger scored their first win of the season in the opening division for 3-year-old trotting fillies. Stopping the timer in 1:53, Naturdays sat the pocket behind the heavily favored Yo Beth D and Tetrick before tracking them down to get the victory in a new lifetime best. Trained by Matt Rheinheimer, the daughter of Helpisontheway-Windsongmusclelady is owned by Alton Miller, Debra Miller and Brackton Miller. Naturdays has now won nine of 16 lifetime starts.

Indiana Sires Stakes action returns to Harrah’s Hoosier Park on June 14.

For more information on the upcoming live racing schedule or live entertainment at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.