Ponda Rocky and Kevin Switzer Jr. had every reason in the world not to finish strong in the $18,000 conditioned trot Tuesday, May 26 at Plainridge Park. The Indiana trotter was pressured every step of the mile and still finished strong to win in 1:53.4. Ponda Rocky began from post two and moved out to the lead as the race favorite. The large veteran gelding Double Account and Ron Cushing sat in second right at his back with Wendell Blue Chip and Matthew Athearn pursuing the top spot from the outside. Around the first turn, Wendell Blue Chip began gaining ground on Ponda Rocky as the field went by the quarter in :26.4. The tempo slowed a little to the half in :55.3 as Ponda Rocky led only by a half length over Wendell Blue Chip, who sat on his outside like a prompter. Heading to the three-quarter pole, Wendell Blue Chip brought terms up to even with Ponda Rocky in 1:24.1 and was not backing away around the final turn. Double Account was sitting with a big hold from Cushing in third. At the head of the lane, Wendell Blue Chip finally began to back off as Ponda Rocky began to drift to the middle of the track. Double Account had all the room he needed to advance on the inside, but Ponda Rocky was too strong, pinning his ears and trotting to the finish for the win by two and one-quarter lengths in 1:53.4. Wendell Blue Chip held his ground for second over Double Account. Ponda Rocky paid $3.40 for the win. The four-year-old son of Pastor Stephen is owned by Mark Eaton and Robert Griffin of Massachusetts and trained by Eaton. Ponda Rocky carries his farm name with him as a product of Pond-A-Acres. Ponda Rocky picked up his second win of 2026 and his eighth overall. He was close to his career best time of 1:53.0 taken last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The former Indiana Sires Stakes contender for trainer Erv Miller relocated to Plainridge at the conclusion of his three-year-old season. The $65,000 purchase from the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale is best known as the younger brother of standout trotter Ponda Adventure, a winner in 1:52.2 with more than $700,000 in earnings as a multiple stakes winner. Ponda Rocky is the richest and fastest performer of Pastor Stephen, who only stood two seasons in Indiana after being exported back to the U.S. from standing in Sweden. He was 2010 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year and was a millionaire when his racing career was cut short due to an injury at three. Overall, he has 14 in 2:00 or faster from 29 starters out of 36 foals in Indiana. Ponda Rocky was from his first crop with 23 sold at public auction that year. A full brother to Father Patrick, Pastor Stephen now stands at Llowalong Farms in Australia. Altogether, Pastor Stephen has sired nine millionaires, including German Breeders Crown champion Officer Stephen.

Sophomore pacer earns new lifetime mark

Ponda Rocky and Kevin Switzer Jr. had every reason in the world not to finish strong in the $18,000 conditioned trot Tuesday, May 26 at Plainridge Park. The Indiana trotter was pressured every step of the mile and still finished strong to win in 1:53.4. Ponda Rocky began from post two and moved out to the lead as the race favorite. The large veteran gelding Double Account and Ron Cushing sat in second right at his back with Wendell Blue Chip and Matthew Athearn pursuing the top spot from the outside. Around the first turn, Wendell Blue Chip began gaining ground on Ponda Rocky as the field went by the quarter in :26.4. The tempo slowed a little to the half in :55.3 as Ponda Rocky led only by a half length over Wendell Blue Chip, who sat on his outside like a prompter. Heading to the three-quarter pole, Wendell Blue Chip brought terms up to even with Ponda Rocky in 1:24.1 and was not backing away around the final turn. Double Account was sitting with a big hold from Cushing in third. At the head of the lane, Wendell Blue Chip finally began to back off as Ponda Rocky began to drift to the middle of the track. Double Account had all the room he needed to advance on the inside, but Ponda Rocky was too strong, pinning his ears and trotting to the finish for the win by two and one-quarter lengths in 1:53.4. Wendell Blue Chip held his ground for second over Double Account. Ponda Rocky paid $3.40 for the win. The four-year-old son of Pastor Stephen is owned by Mark Eaton and Robert Griffin of Massachusetts and trained by Eaton. Ponda Rocky carries his farm name with him as a product of Pond-A-Acres. Ponda Rocky picked up his second win of 2026 and his eighth overall. He was close to his career best time of 1:53.0 taken last year at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The former Indiana Sires Stakes contender for trainer Erv Miller relocated to Plainridge at the conclusion of his three-year-old season. The $65,000 purchase from the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale is best known as the younger brother of standout trotter Ponda Adventure, a winner in 1:52.2 with more than $700,000 in earnings as a multiple stakes winner. Ponda Rocky is the richest and fastest performer of Pastor Stephen, who only stood two seasons in Indiana after being exported back to the U.S. from standing in Sweden. He was 2010 Dan Patch Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year and was a millionaire when his racing career was cut short due to an injury at three. Overall, he has 14 in 2:00 or faster from 29 starters out of 36 foals in Indiana. Ponda Rocky was from his first crop with 23 sold at public auction that year. A full brother to Father Patrick, Pastor Stephen now stands at Llowalong Farms in Australia. Altogether, Pastor Stephen has sired nine millionaires, including German Breeders Crown champion Officer Stephen.