by Emily Gaskin, for Hoosier Park Racing and Casino

Anderson, IN — Just one week after hosting the $1 million Hoosier Champions night, Hoosier Park continued the stakes action with an exciting 14-race card on Saturday (Oct. 26). In its 20th season of live harness racing, Hoosier Park hosted divisions of the Madison County and Circle City Stakes for 2- and 3-year-olds for the first time ever.

E L Titan and Riina Rekila kicked off the stakes action with a 1:57.1 score in the opening $44,950 division of the Madison County stakes for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters. Using a sharp, front running effort, the son of Muscle Hill-Courtney Hall was able to hold off a late charge from Justice Jet and Ed Hensley to score his third win of the season. Owned by Erkki Laakkonen, E L Titan is trained by Riina Rekila and has now amassed $93,139 during his freshman season.

The recently crowned Indiana Sire Stakes champion Rose Run Parker followed suit in the second $45,250 split of the Madison County stakes action for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings with a 1:58.2 victory. With Ricky Macomber, Jr. in the bike, Rose Run Parker was able to track down horses late in the lane to win by two lengths. Sired by Jailhouse Jesse and out of Centergy, Rose Run Parker extended his win streak to five as he notched his ninth win of the season.

Sweetnsinful and Sam Widger scored in the only division of the $83,600 Madison County Stakes for 2-year-old pacing fillies in 1:54. Widger sent the American Ideal-Ali Badali filly to the front from the start and never looked back. Trained by Homer Hochstetler, Sweetnsinful scored her fourth win in nine starts this season and sent her bankroll over the $200,000 mark.

The freshman trotting fillies were up next and Kween Mightus broke her maiden in a big kind of way taking her $42,550 split of the Madison County Stakes. Driven by Hoosier Park’s leading driver, Tyler Smith, Kween Mightus was sent to the front and reached the wire in 1:57.3 to finish two lengths in front of the field. Trained by Krista Williams, the 2-year-old daughter of Earl Of Stormont-Shengo Venus notched her first win in 11 seasonal outings.

Luck Is All Ineed and Trace Tetrick took the second split of the stakes action for 2-year-old trotting fillies with a 1:58 victory. Trained by Tom Harmer, the Muscle Mass-Vics Flag filly benefitted from a pocket trip to score her third win of the season from eight starts. Luck Is All Ineed sent her bankroll to $131,178 for her connections, Greg McNair and Tom Harmer.

Linscott Photography

King Mufasa was a 1:56.3 winner in his Circle City division for 3-year-old trotting males.

Three $31,000-plus splits of the Circle City Stakes for 3-year-old trotting colts were contested and it was King Mufasa who reigned supreme with a 1:56.3 romp. With Hall of Famer Dave Palone in the sulky, King Mufasa extended his win streak to five in his Hoosier Park debut. Sired by Powerful Emotion, King Mufasa is trained by Mike Brink and owned by Mystical Marker Farms and H.W. Wright.

Punxsutawney and Pete Wrenn turned a sharp, front running effort into a 1:54.4 score in the second split of the Circle City stakes action. Sired by Glidemaster, Punxsutawney scored his fourth win of the season from 14 outings. Owned by Jerry Graham, Punxsutawney is trained by John Butenschoen and now sports a seasonal bankroll of $156,988.

Pine Credit and Marcus Miller took the final split of the stakes action for 3-year-old colt trotters with a 1:55.4 victory. Trained by Erv Miller, the son of Credit Winner was able to find late racing room in the stretch to score his third win of the season.

That’ll Be The Rei and Mike Micallef extended their win streak to four with a 1:51.3 score in the opening $40.350 division of the Circle City stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts. The Michigan champion is trained by Mike Micallef and has won 15 of 22 seasonal starts. Owned by Daniel Courtemanche, That’ll Be The Rei has earned $185,242 through two seasons of racing.

Silver Devil and Jason Dillander scored a 21-1 upset in the second $40,350 division of the Circle City stakes for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers. Rallying from well off the pace in the stretch, Silver Devil used a :26 final panel to score his ninth win of the season in 1:53.1. Trained by Nick Giberson, the sophomore son of Duneside Perch sent his career bankroll over $50,000 with the victory.

Totally Kissed and Sam Widger followed suit and pulled a slight upset in the $49,300 first split of the stakes action for 2-year-old pacing colts with a 1:52.1 score. The freshman son of Total Truth-Thirsty For Kisses got up in the final strides to score his third win of the season in a lifetime best effort.

Kingofthejungle continued the upset trend and scored a 14-1 upset in his $49,300 split of the Madison County stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts. Driven by Pete Wrenn, Kingofthejungle rallied from well off the pace to score in a lifetime best effort of 1:52.3. Trained by Dirk Simpson, the 2-year-old gelding is sired by Well Said and out of Allamerican Calico and has now won four of 12 lifetime outings.