ISA Board of Directors hold first 2026 meeting

January 5, 2026 by Tammy Knox

The Indiana Standardbred Board of Directors reconvened for their first meeting of 2026 Monday, January 5 at the ISA Offices in Greenfield, Indiana. First on the agenda was to swear in those directors reelected as well as two new directors Jason Miller and Daryl Miller. Roger Young, ISA’s Counsel, provided the appropriate steps to officially secure the new board.

Matt Norris and Adam Kallick kicked off the business portion of the meeting with updates from the Statehouse. Norris noted the new session began Monday, January 5 and will run through February 27 for the non-budget year. Norris talked about several bills that could affect Indiana horse racing and Kallick gave some background on the processes, with the main focus on the concept of a casino license in Allen County.

Norris also gave an update on i-Gaming, which would allow gaming online. Kallick noted the legislators plan to submit a joint resolution this session talking about horse racing and its impact on the state, which will give racing another avenue of recognition for both the Senate and House. No date has been assigned to the resolution.

Officers were elected for the 2026 calendar year with John DeLong retaining the Presidents position. He will be joined by First Vice President Robert Taylor, Second Vice President Doug Rideout, and Rhys Helt as Treasurer, all reoccurring roles. Zach Miller was voted in as secretary of the board to replace outgoing director Emily Dever.

Committees were also updated for the year with Jamie Macomber moving into the chair position for breeding and sales. Daryl Miller also joined the committee. Jason Miller was added to the County Fair committee as well as the Commission Relations. Carrie Hollman moved into a position on the Grants committee and became the new chair of the Membership and Promotions, a committee that Daryl Miller was also added to. Hollman was also added to the Publications committee. Casandra and Rick Uppal were voted in as 2026 Horsemen’s Representatives along with April Neafus as the Transportation Driver.

Macomber gave an update on an upcoming sales gathering with a Breeders/Consignors meeting set for Friday, January 30 beginning at 3 p.m. at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on the lower level. Also, Premier Acres will offer an Open House event to introduce new stallions and offer a look at their facilities Saturday, January 31. Macomber also noted surveys were sent to consignors with emails on file and those results will be shared at the Breeders/Consignors meeting.

Time was spent discussing new ways to attract buyers in the state with discussion led by Ernie Gaskin before the focus was turned to pari-mutuel racing, which begins early this year in a little over a month. DeLong updated the board on some changes with Breed Development, including an added Aged Series and more money allocated to two-year-old races. President DeLong noted the first pari-mutuel committee meeting is set for Wednesday, January 7 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park.

Zach Miller said eight applications had been received for college assistance. DeLong noted the first Commission Relations meeting would be held Wednesday, January 7. Doug Rideout reported on the recent County Fair meeting with most dates set. Racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park will be expanded to four days the third week of June. State Fair racing dates were also established with Grand Circuit set for August 12, Governors Cup Championships set for August 19, and Elite racing August 31.

Executive Director Tony Renz asked for several approvals for the first quarter of the year, including an outing for ISA members at the Indianapolis Indians ballgame Sunday, April 26 with a 1:30 p.m. start. The board also approved the renewal of the Night Drive Partnership with Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Trading Cards for regional participants were also renewed with the Harness Horse Youth Foundation with Renz noting they are utilized during Speed Barn Tours and National FFA Convention activities. The Grattan Helmet initiative in 2025 had 23 orders and the board voted to renew the program with deep discounts to members in 2026.

Jay Hochstetler provided an update on the new Website design by John Adamsky. Kallick also added Adamsky’s work on a half-page ad that runs every other Friday in the Legislative Insight. The board also applauded Adamsky’s work with social media outlets and other initiatives last season.

The board voted to begin Chaplain Claudeen Webb’s employment a month early due to the early start date for racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Webb will begin February 1. Renz also noted all directors are invited to the Community Center ribbon cutting at Horseshoe Indianapolis at 11:30 a.m. Friday, February 6. The facility will provide office and gathering space for horsemen and women as well as a chapel for church activities.

The ISA is currently seeking donations for their annual raffle and door prizes for the Indiana Standardbred Banquet coming up Saturday, January 24. Any donations may be made or arranged by contacting the ISA Office.

The ISA Board will hold their second meeting of 2026 Monday, February 2 at the ISA Office in Greenfield.

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Gaskin sophomores sweep Carlton Trotting Series

By Tammy Knox • April 2, 2026

Photo of Inverness Ave and John DeLong by Dean Gillette Two Indiana trotters from the Ernie Gaskin barn turned in a one-two punch in the first round of the Chad E. Carlton Trotting Series Wednesday, April 1 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The program represented the addition of Wednesday racing to the schedule for pari-mutuel racing in Indiana. Inverness Ave and John DeLong kicked things off in the first division, beginning their race from post seven. The gelding got away in fourth as Deja Frou and Trace Tetrick settled in on the lead through the quarter in :27.4. No change in the order was detected at the half in :27.4 as Deja Frou opened up a few lengths on the field. In the final turn, One Mike Out and Clint Coy were leading the charge on the outside and flushed out Inverness Ave. In the stretch, Inverness Ave went right on by and opened up on the field, trotting home in :27.3 to win by four and one-half lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:56.1. Surf Scoter and LeWayne Miller moved up for second followed by Tuggin Thomas, also a late closer in the race for Marcus Miller. Inverness Ave was making his first start of 2026. The three-year-old son of Helpisontheway paid $2.80 for the win, coming into the race off a qualifying win. He is owned by Ted Engel, Doug Shore, and Ernie Gaskin Stables. The Bay’s Stable, Polger Holdings, and Little E LLC bred the gelding, who was purchased from the Lexington Select Yearling Sale for $20,000. In the second division of the Carlton Trotting Series, Gaskin watched as his sophomore filly pulled in a win to sweep the first round of the series for the stable. Dial Nine One One and DeLong went straight to the lead and held their ground the entire way, winning by a length at the wire in 1:56.4. Hot Martini and Trace Tetrick finished second over Passin With a Sigh and Clint Coy rallied up for third. Dial Nine One One paid $3.40 for the win. Also by Helpisontheway, the filly is owned by Haucks Racing Stables, Wiesman Farms, and Ernie Gaskin Stables. Christina Macri and Gordon Graham of California bred the filly, who was also making her first start of 2026. She was a winner in two of three races last year at two and equaled her career best time in her win in the Carlton Series. She was purchased from the Black Creek Farm consignment, acting as agent for the breeders, from the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale for $15,000. She is a half sister to Remarkable De Vie, a winner of nearly $500,000 while racing in the Delmarva area.

Fruit Snacker throws Open Trot for a loop

By Tammy Knox • April 1, 2026

Fruit Snacker throws Open field for a loop Fruit Snacker and driver Tony Morgan threw their opponents for a loop Tuesday, March 31. The Indiana trotter rallied strong through the wire to score the win in the featured $25,000 Open Handicap Trot. Fruit Snacker began from post six and used early speed, but not as much as Benjamin Hanover and Tim Tetrick from post three with Indy Be Quick and Russell Foster also vying for the lead. In the first turn, Foster had trouble getting Indy Be Quick to take a seat to Benjamin Hanover and as soon as he did, Fruit Snacker continued to advance. However, he didn’t get to the top spot until after the quarter in :27.3. The tempo continued to be brisk as Fruit Snacker led the way with several horses from the back of the pack beginning to move out so they could close in on the leader. That group was led by Indiana trotter Duly Resolved, driven by Corey Callahan. At the three-quarters, Fruit Snacker still had control of the lead with Duly Resolved lingering on the outside and Benjamin Hanover getting revved up for the final stages. In the stretch, Benjamin Hanover moved to the outside of Fruit Snacker and the two trotters rallied together to the wire with Fruit Snacker getting the edge by a nose at the wire in 1:52.4 over Benjamin Hanover. Fellow Indiana sired trotter A Blue Million, driven by Montrell Teague moved in for third. Fruit Snacker is owned by Mark Howard of Maryland and trained by Willard Reynolds. The four-year-old son of Dover Dan paid $4.20 for his win. Kenneth Slabach bred and raised the gelding, who earned his seventh win of 2026 out of 10 starts. Overall, he is now 18 for 37 with more than $188,000 on his card. His win Tuesday at Dover was a new lifetime mark. Fruit Snacker began his career at Converse for trainer Nicole Wilfong, posting a win before heading to Harrah’s Hoosier Park and competing in Indiana Sires Stakes action. He moved to the Britney Dillon barn as a three-year-old and was later trained by Robert Taylor before landing in the Reynolds barn last December at Dover. He has now won eight races for his new connections and is on a two-race win streak at Dover. He was initially purchased out of the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale for $10,000 by Nicole and Kyle Wilfong from the Integrity Stables consignment and joined siblings First N Line (1:56.4, $51,000) and Skyway Fusion (1:56.1, $35,000) as winners. Earlier in the night, Indiana trotter Muscledover and Tim Tetrick turned in a gate to wire effort to win the $25,000 claimer by four and one-quarter lengths in 1:53.4. The seven-year-old son of Dover Dan was a winner over Inferno DK and Corey Callahan and Warrior One driven by Tony Morgan. Sartin Racing owns Muscledover with Chuck Crissman Jr. handling the training duties. He was initially from the Black Creek Farm and Hickory Hollow Stables breeding operation and sold for $20,000 at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale during the Covid 19 session. Jesse DeLong signed the ticket for the gelding, who can be traced back to third dam Missy’s Goal, a Grand Circuit contender and dam of multiple stakes winner Missys Goalfire. Muscledover now has 24 career wins and more than $265,000 on his card with his career best time of 1:52.1 taken earlier this spring at Dover Downs. He is now six for 10 in 2026.

Aintnothingucando does at Oak Grove

By Tammy Knox • March 31, 2026

The eighth race Monday, March 30 was full of Indiana sired pacers at Oak Grove. It was a battle down the stretch between several with Aintnothingucando and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. getting the photo at the end in the $25,000 Open 2 Pace. Aintnothingucando left the gate alongside fellow Indiana pacer Miss Fancy Nancy and they both had the best shot at getting to the lead. Aintnothingucando was on the lead around the first turn and crossed by the quarter in :27.2 with everyone settling in behind her. Bonitas Best Bet and Marvin Luna, a stablemate to Aintnothingucando, was sitting third with Shamwow and Brandon Bates finding the inside in fourth after being parked to the quarter. Aintnothingucando was able to back off the pace to the half in :56.4 which spurred several horses to the outside. As they began approaching on the outside, Aintnothingucando turned in a big third quarter in :26.3 to try to scoot away from the field to make it difficult to catch up to her. Around the final turn, Bonitas Best Bet was leading the outer flow with Indiana’s Tarshish and Marcus Miller catching second over cover to the head of the lane. In the stretch, Aintnothingucando was still strong on the front end as Tarshish began closing in. Aintnothingucando was able to hold of all opponents for the win by a nose in 1:51.4, a final quarter in :28.2. Bonitas Best Bet finished second between horses with Tarshish closing in gamely on the outside. Aintnothingucando paid $6.60 for the win. The four-year-old Odds on Equuleus mare is owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. Odds on Nourrir bred the mare, who earned her fifth win in 10 starts for 2026 for trainer Ron Burke. Overall, she has 17 career wins and more than $200,000 in earnings. Her win Monday was just a tick off her career best, taken last year at The Red Mile in 1:51.3. Later in the card, Track Announcer Peter Kleinhans exchanged his binoculars for a set of lines and competed in the $11,000 US Harness Driving Club. Kleinhans drove Holden Steady, trained by Matt Rodriguez in the event, taking the top spot at the quarter in :26.3 before being overtaken by JK’s Shining Star and Adarryl Gates Jr. Nible Ned and Joseph Herschberger became the third leader at the three quarters, parked on the outside of JK’s Shining Star. In the stretch, JK’s Shining Star hit another gear and moved away from the field, winning by two and three-quarter lengths in 1:56.2. Holden Steady finished second over D A Wicked Shine and Dein Spriggs for third. JK’s Shining Star paid $6.14 for the win. The eight-year-old daughter of JK Endofanera is owned by Therl Hensley and trained by Randy Crisler. Victory Hill Farm bred the mare, who is from the tough brood mare Bikini Star that includes eight winners in eight foals of racing age, including Rock Shines Again, the undefeated sophomore from the Tyler George barn last year. JK’s Shining Star has more than $300,000 in career earnings with a mark of 1:50.4.