Leaving post three in the $22,000 five-horse co-feature, Kobe’s Gigi and John De Long were sent off as second choices in the 8-5 betting. He wasted no time putting Kobe’s Gigi on the bike as he looped around Ron Burke stablemate Goo Goo Won (Atlee Bender) to make it through the quarter in :27. The quintet rode single file on the backstretch, with Kobe’s Gigi reaching the halfway point in :55.2 before shifting gears and starting to fire 2-1/4 lengths away at three-quarters in 1:23.2.
The lead grew to 4-1/2 halfway down the track before Kobe’s Gigi was free and began rolling toward the wire, stopping the timer in 1:50.3 2-1/4 lengths for the best. Anna Love N (Kyle Wilfong) rallied for second place, while Wild Rosa (Mike Oosting) finished third.
With the win, Kobe’s Gigi moved into second place on the list of Indiana’s all-time highest-earning pacing mares, behind Go On BB. Leander Schwartz and Black And White Stable own the seven-year-old daughter of JK Endophanera-Twin Oaks Tess who was bred by Harvey Fry. Kobe’s Gigi retires with a career record of 93-25-26-9 with lifetime earnings of $1,076,628, winning the 2022 Lady Liberty final, 2023 Indiana Sire Stakes Aged Mare and second place in each of the last two Breeders Crown finals for older mares.
KOBE’S GIGI REPEAT
The $22,000 Open Trot served as the MM’s Dream’s final career start, where she started from post four in the five-horse field, sandwiched between fellow Indiana Sire Stakes Champions Flagman (Rick Plano) in post three, and Ponda Jet (Kyle Wilfong) in post four. Ponda Jet quickly moved into his usual position at the lead and quickly trotted into the quarter: 26.3 as MM’s Dream and Jordan Ross settled into third. The Sire Stakes champions lined up one-two-three on the backstretch, with Ponda Jet rolling to half in :55.3 before trotting to three-quarters in 1:24 as Flagman and MM’s Dream headed off the cones to make a bid.
Ponda Jet and Flagman battled for the lead, with Ponda Jet keeping the pocket setter at bay with a neck on the line in 1:53. MM’s Dream crossed the wire for the final time in third, 2-1/2 lengths behind the winner.
With the victory, Ponda Jet has now won five times in a row and 16 of 24 for trainer Jay Hochstetler this season. Connie Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz own the five-year-old gelding son of Dover Dan-Ponda’s Lucky Lady who has earned $229,920 this year and is knocking on the door of $800,000 in career earnings.
PONDA JET REPEAT
As for MM’s Dream, the six-year-old daughter of Swan for everyone-Trading Places retires with a career record of 70-37-12-9 and $2,296,762 in lifetime earnings. She retires to the barn of Henry Graber Jr., who split training duties with Ron Burke for owners Hillside Stables and Frank Baldachino. MM’s Dream retires as the second-richest Indiana Sired trotter of all time, behind 2017 Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover. Her 37 career wins include three Indiana Sire Stakes Finals, three Hambletonian Day wins at the Steele Memorial, two Miss Versatility Crowns, The Hambletonian Maturity and this year’s Fanduel title at The Meadowlands. Baldachino indicated in the winner’s circle that the connections are looking at stallion Chapter seven next spring when MM’s Dream starts her new career as a broodmare.
The 2025 racing season concludes at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Thanksgiving weekend with tickets on Friday (Nov. 28) and Saturday (Nov. 29). The Black Friday card kicks off with a special post time of 4:30 PM and features the final Grand Circuit races of the year at Hoosier, where On To Norway is expected to battle for its 23rd consecutive victory of the year. The closing evening program on Saturday starts with the traditional first post at 5:30 PM.
For more information about the 2025 live racing season at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, guests are encouraged to visit www.harrahshoosierpark.com.
For full race results, click here: American trotting results.
Through Jacob Rijnheimerin front of Harrah’s Hoosier Park
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