It was a fight to the finish between two Indiana sired pacers with Heaven Needs Me and Simon Allard getting the final call Sunday, April 26 at Harrah’s Philadelphia. The Indiana sired pacer turned in a last to first effort for the win in 1:52.4 in the $13,500 conditioned pace. Heaven Needs Me began from the outside post seven and showed no interest in getting involved in the race early, moving to the back of the pack as Seaworthy Hanover and Ridge Warren put their rail starting spot to good use and became the first leader. However their time on the top was short lived as Lazarus Star and March Herschberger rallied up and around to take over before the quarter in :28.1. The field stayed in single file through the half in :56.4 and it wasn’t until the field has moved down the backside for the second time that the trailing horses began to shift to the outside. Heaven Needs Me made one move. He moved to the outside to pass horses and had to go three wide in the final turn to reach the top horses in the race. In the stretch, he was widest of all and in full flight as the wire neared. He was able to fend off Son of Era and Patrick Ryder on the inside to score the win by a neck. Son of Era is also an Indiana bred son of JK Endofanera. TH Colby and Tim Tetrick used a move up the inside to finish third. Heaven Needs Me paid $17.20 for the win. The four-year-old son of Capt Midnight is owned and trained by Chelsey Faurot, who also bred the gelding. Heaven Needs Me is now two for three in 2026 after going unraced as a two-year-old. Overall, he has five wins in 22 starts and tops $67,000 in earnings. His career best time of 1:52.2 was taken last year at Pocono Downs. Earlier in the card, Indiana sired Lovers Trouble and Joe Bongiorno turned in a near gate to wire effort after taking over after the quarter in the $11,000 claiming event. Around the final turn, Lovers Trouble began to scoot away from the field and won by three and one-half lengths in 1:52.2. Hesa Kingslayer N and Simon Allard finished second over Duckies Dynasty and Mark Herschberger for third. Lovers Trouble was the favorite of the field, paying $2.40 for the win. The five-year-old Tellitlikeitis gelding is owned by JB Racing and Evans Nation. Bongiorno also trains the gelding, who was bred and raised in Indiana by breeders Zach Miller, Edward Dobrowolski of Indiana and Edward Dobrowolski of Michigan. Lovers Trouble earned his third win of the year in the effort. Overall, he has 13 wins and more than $146,000 in earnings. He picked up a sub 1:50 career best mark as a three-year-old at Pocono Downs. He is the foal from the former Indiana contender SS Lover, who made $68,000 during her career and took a mark of 1:53.0 before becoming a brood mare. She is now a 100 percent producing brood mare with four winners from four foals of racing age. Lovers Trouble is her richest and her quickest to date. She does have a two-year-old this season, a colt by Freaky Feet Pete named Freaky Lover.

Photo by John Adamsky The Indiana Standardbred Association, Harrah’s Hoosier Park and the Indiana Standardbred Breed Development are partnering together for a special series for owners. The Friday Night Owners Club is set to span four months beginning in late June. The Friday Night Owners Club begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 26 and runs until 7:30 p.m. in the Top of the Park room at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The event will coincide with Friday racing and will be a summer reception for owners, both new and returning, to enjoy a special night out at the races. The Owners event will include appetizers and two complimentary beverages along with a racing program. Self serve betting terminals will be provided in the Top of the Park for the convenience of the participants. The Friday Night Owners Club does not require an RSVP to attend. Those planning to attend should make their way to the Top of the Park for the featured nights. In addition to the kickoff Friday, June 26, events for the Friday Night Owners Club will be held Friday, July 24, Friday, August 28, and will conclude with a Saturday special edition Saturday, September 26. Look for more information on the Friday Night Owners Club on social media or on the ISA’s website at indianaharness.com.

It was a fight to the finish between two Indiana sired pacers with Heaven Needs Me and Simon Allard getting the final call Sunday, April 26 at Harrah’s Philadelphia. The Indiana sired pacer turned in a last to first effort for the win in 1:52.4 in the $13,500 conditioned pace. Heaven Needs Me began from the outside post seven and showed no interest in getting involved in the race early, moving to the back of the pack as Seaworthy Hanover and Ridge Warren put their rail starting spot to good use and became the first leader. However their time on the top was short lived as Lazarus Star and March Herschberger rallied up and around to take over before the quarter in :28.1. The field stayed in single file through the half in :56.4 and it wasn’t until the field has moved down the backside for the second time that the trailing horses began to shift to the outside. Heaven Needs Me made one move. He moved to the outside to pass horses and had to go three wide in the final turn to reach the top horses in the race. In the stretch, he was widest of all and in full flight as the wire neared. He was able to fend off Son of Era and Patrick Ryder on the inside to score the win by a neck. Son of Era is also an Indiana bred son of JK Endofanera. TH Colby and Tim Tetrick used a move up the inside to finish third. Heaven Needs Me paid $17.20 for the win. The four-year-old son of Capt Midnight is owned and trained by Chelsey Faurot, who also bred the gelding. Heaven Needs Me is now two for three in 2026 after going unraced as a two-year-old. Overall, he has five wins in 22 starts and tops $67,000 in earnings. His career best time of 1:52.2 was taken last year at Pocono Downs. Earlier in the card, Indiana sired Lovers Trouble and Joe Bongiorno turned in a near gate to wire effort after taking over after the quarter in the $11,000 claiming event. Around the final turn, Lovers Trouble began to scoot away from the field and won by three and one-half lengths in 1:52.2. Hesa Kingslayer N and Simon Allard finished second over Duckies Dynasty and Mark Herschberger for third. Lovers Trouble was the favorite of the field, paying $2.40 for the win. The five-year-old Tellitlikeitis gelding is owned by JB Racing and Evans Nation. Bongiorno also trains the gelding, who was bred and raised in Indiana by breeders Zach Miller, Edward Dobrowolski of Indiana and Edward Dobrowolski of Michigan. Lovers Trouble earned his third win of the year in the effort. Overall, he has 13 wins and more than $146,000 in earnings. He picked up a sub 1:50 career best mark as a three-year-old at Pocono Downs. He is the foal from the former Indiana contender SS Lover, who made $68,000 during her career and took a mark of 1:53.0 before becoming a brood mare. She is now a 100 percent producing brood mare with four winners from four foals of racing age. Lovers Trouble is her richest and her quickest to date. She does have a two-year-old this season, a colt by Freaky Feet Pete named Freaky Lover.