Anderson, IN — Harrah’s Hoosier Park hosted the final preliminary round of Indiana Sires Stakes for 2-year-old trotting fillies, 2-year-old pacing colts and 3-year-old trotting colts on Thursday (Oct. 6).

Upsets proved to be the theme in the sophomore trotting colt divisions.

Adamsville Road and Sam Widger scored a 6-1 upset in the $49,500 first division, saving ground in the three-hole before unleashing a vicious :27 final quarter to chase down the heavily favored Ponda Warrior and Trace Tetrick, winning by a neck in 1:52.3. Muscledover and John DeLong finished third.

Adamsville Road rallied to a 6-1 upset in his Indiana Sires Stakes split for 3-year-old male trotters.

Trained by Harrah’s Hoosier Park’s two-time defending leading trainer, Tyler George, It was the sixth victory in 14 seasonal outings for the gelded son of Swan For All, trained by two-time defending leading trainer Tyler George. Bred by Joyce McClelland, Adamsville Road has now banked $129,890 this season for owners Mel Rose Stable and Joe Nesselroad. He paid $15.80 to win.

Widger struck with another upset in the $49,500 second division, this time with 13-1 shot Nasey. Leaving from post five in the field of nine, Widger positioned Nasey perfectly in the pocket before converting the trip into a 1:54 victory by a half-length over Iwon’t Backdown As and Tony Hall.

It was the fifth win in 18 seasonal starts for the Walter Haynes Jr.-trained Pilgrim’s Chuckie gelding. Bred by Roman Stoll, Nasey pushed his career bankroll to $95,435 for owners Black & White Stable, with $69,395 of that coming in 2022. Nasey paid $29.40.

Freshmen proved to be more formful, with the Fox Stake winner Coach Stefanos scoring decisively in the $70,000 first division for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings. With leading driver Trace Tetrick aboard, Coach Stefanos waited patiently as David Allen Whoa and Joey Putnam cut hot early fractions before moving first-over at the half and powering home with a :27 final quarter to open up by three lengths at the wire in a lifetime best 1:50. Buzzsaw Russ and John De Long finished second, with David Allen Whoa holding for third.

Coach Stefanos touched down for a 1:50 lifetime mark in his ISS split. Dean Gillette Photography.

It was the sixth win in 10 career tries for the Erv Miller trainee, banking $182,555 for owners Kenneth Duffy, John Stefanos and D&M Trading II LLC. Bred by Victory Hill Farm, Coach Stefanos is a gelded son of Tellitlikeitis out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare, Watch N Be Watched.

Widger picked up a third stakes victory — and his fourth win on the card — when Art It Is scored in the $70,000 second division for freshman pacing colts in the nightcap. Leaving from post eight, Art It Is never saw the rail the entire mile, finding himself first-over at the top of the stretch before digging in gamely with a :27.2 final quarter to fend off a surging Hetolditlikeitwas and Peter Wrenn by a nose at the wire in 1:52.

The victory was the third consecutive for Art It Is, and fifth in eight starts for the Mark P’Pool trainee. Bred by Legacy Acres, Art It Is pushed his career bankroll to $149,720 with the score for owners Dolne Farm Services LLC, Therese DeFabis and P’Pool. Art It Is, out of the Dream Work mare JNB N Me, gave sire Tellitlikeitis a sweep of the freshman pacing colt splits.

Favorites prevailed as well in both divisions for 2-year-old trotting fillies, with Helpoftheseason getting the job done in the $68,000 first division at even money. Peter Wrenn navigated traffic from the second tier in post 10 in the field of 11, doing so to perfection in the early stages before taking command up the backstretch and digging in gamely in the stretch to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:55:3. T’s Pride and Trace Tetrick finished second, with Marys Magic and Jordan Ross rounding out the trifecta at 46-1.

The lightly-raced filly by Helpisontheway picked up her fourth career victory in six career starts, having yet to miss the board for trainer Melanie Wrenn. Owned by Wrenn Racing LLC and John Schmucker, Helpoftheseason lifted her career earnings to $132,175. Helpoftheseason, bred by Ben Wittmer Jr., is out of the Angus Hall mare Torches Star.

In the $68,000 second division, Yo Beth D rebounded from a miscue in the Mohawk Million with a dominant score. Leaving from the rail, driver Trevor Smith took full advantage of the post position, immediately taking control of the race and never looking back, scoring by over four lengths in 1:55:3. Long shots Myrll Valley (68-1) and Youdocabo (39-1) finished second and third, respectively.

It was the sixth victory in nine starts in 2022 for Yo Beth D, whom Todd Luther trains for owner Greg Luther Racing LLC. With the victory, the daughter of Helpisontheway out of the Cantab Hall mare Scented Roses has now earned $174,650 on the season. Yo Beth D was bred by John Schmucker.

Indiana Sires Stakes action continues on Friday (Oct. 7) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park with the last leg for both 3-year-old pacing colts and fillies, as well as preps for the older stars ahead of next week’s Hoosier Champions night. Post time is 6:15 p.m. For more information on upcoming events and the live racing calendar, please visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.