Dan Patch Stakes 2026 Preview and Full Field at Harrah's Hoosier Park
Eleven of the best older pacers in North America load into the gate on Friday, August 14 for the 33rd running of the Dan Patch Stakes, Harrah's Hoosier Park's signature race. The $300,000 Grade 1 goes as the 13th race on a 15 race program that gets underway at 5:30 p.m. ET, and it brings together a field with 292 combined career wins and more than $18.7 million in combined earnings. We break down the full field, the storylines that matter, and how to get a bet down.
What Is the Dan Patch Stakes
The Dan Patch Stakes has run at Hoosier Park since 1994 and stands as the track's marquee open pace. It's raced over the seven eighths of a mile oval in Anderson, Indiana and is presented by Indiana Standardbred Breed Development. Only two Indiana sired horses have ever won it, Wiggle It Jiggleit in 2016 and Ponda Warrior in 2023, and three Indiana bred contenders in this year's field are chasing that short list.
This year's edition attracted the field on career money earned. The top 10 career money earners who entered all received a spot, and Hoosier Park extended a supplemental invite to Crack Shot to round the field out to 11. Ten millionaires make up the group, giving this year's Dan Patch as deep a lineup as the race has drawn in recent memory.
Full Field for the 2026 Dan Patch Stakes
Post positions and connections were finalized on Wednesday, August 12. Here's the complete Dan Patch Stakes field in post position order.
| Post | Horse | Driver | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Rocket Man | Kyle Wilfong | Ken Rucker |
| 2 | Crack Shot | Doug McNair | Gregg McNair |
| 3 | Bythemissal | Ronnie Wrenn Jr. | Ron Burke |
| 4 | Dandy Ideal | Jason Bartlett | Hunter Oakes |
| 5 | Coach Stefanos | Marcus Miller | Erv Miller |
| 6 | Captain Optimistic | Dexter Dunn | Nancy Takter |
| 7 | Prince Hal Hanover | Todd McCarthy | Dr. Ian Moore |
| 8 | Fallout | Tim Tetrick | Ron Burke |
| 9 | Harrisburg Heist | Yannick Gingras | Ron Burke |
| 10 | Huntinthelastdolar | Yannick Gingras | Per Engblom |
| 11 | Women Layer | David Miller | Virgil Morgan Jr. |
No morning line had been posted as of this preview. Programs go up on the Hoosier Park website the evening before the card, and we'll always point you toward verified prices rather than guess at them.
Little Rocket Man Chases a Home Track Breakthrough
Little Rocket Man is the story locally. The 10 year old gelded son of Rockin Image out of Gt Miss Royal leaves from the rail for owners Russ Beeman and Jack Freeman, with Kyle Wilfong, a two time Dan Patch winning driver, in the bike. He arrives off an 87th career win, a 1:49.2 romp against open company at Hoosier Park on August 7, which pushed his career bankroll to $2,425,512 from 161 starts.
This is his fifth try at the Dan Patch. He was favored in 2025 and finished eighth in a race won by fellow Indiana sired star Sabonis, and he's finished fourth twice before that, in 2021 and 2023. A win here would make him just the third Indiana sired horse to take the race.
Coach Stefanos and the Chase for Erv Miller's First Dan Patch Win
Coach Stefanos, the 2024 Breeders Crown champion, gives trainer Erv Miller his third shot at a Dan Patch win, with son Marcus Miller handling the drive from post five. The six year old gelded son of Tellitlikeitis out of Watch N Be Watched finished in a dead heat for second in the 2024 renewal behind Dunkin', and he's carried that form into this year's race, hitting the board in three straight starts at Hoosier including a third place finish behind Little Rocket Man in the same August 7 Open. He owns a career bankroll of $1,667,217 from 21 wins in 47 starts for owners Ken Duffy, D&M Trading II LLC and Chris Stefanos.
Millionaires Fresh Off the Sam McKee Memorial
A large group of this field shipped in straight from the Sam McKee Memorial on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands. Double millionaire Bythemissal takes post three with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. up for Ron Burke. Captain Optimistic, sired by Captaintreacherous, starts from post six with Dexter Dunn driving for trainer Nancy Takter. Fallout, also by Captaintreacherous, leaves from post eight with Tim Tetrick up for Ron Burke. Huntinthelastdolar rounds out the McKee shippers from post 10 with Yannick Gingras driving for Per Engblom.
Prince Hal Hanover also arrives off the McKee. The Dr. Ian Moore trainee and Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup winner has placed in three of his last four Grand Circuit starts and takes post seven with Todd McCarthy in the bike. The biggest story out of the McKee, though, belongs to Women Layer, who pulled a 17 to 1 upset in his division. Hall of Famer David Miller stays aboard for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. from the outside post 11, with both driver and trainer chasing their second Dan Patch win. Miller won it in 2020 with Century Farroh, and Morgan won it in 2009 with Mister Big.
| Division | Finish | Horse | Driver | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division 1 ($192,569) | 1st | Women Layer | David Miller | 17/1 |
| Division 1 | 2nd | Captain Moore A | Todd McCarthy | 45/1 |
| Division 1 | 3rd | Surreal Ideal | Mike Wilder | 47/1 |
| Division 1 | 4th | Ken Hanover | Tim Tetrick | n/a |
| Division 2 ($194,306) | 1st | Captain Albano | James MacDonald | 5/1 |
| Division 2 | 2nd | Prince Hal Hanover | Todd McCarthy | n/a |
| Division 2 | 3rd | Bythemissal | Ronnie Wrenn Jr. | 3/1 fav |
Rockin Nola Adds a New Grade 3 to the Undercard
The Dan Patch card gets a strong lead in from the inaugural $100,000 Rockin Nola, a Grade 3 for pacing mares that goes as race 12, one spot ahead of the feature. Seven mares are entered, headed by Rodeo Drive Deo from the barn of Ron Burke with Yannick Gingras driving. The full field, in post order, is Rodeo Drive Deo (Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke), Good As You (Todd McCarthy, Trent Stohler), The Last Martini (Doug McNair, Jared Bako), Lyin Eyes (Joey Putnam, Joe Putnam), Canttouchthese (John De Long, Roger Welch), Champagne Room (Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Ron Burke) and Three Times Bettor (Dexter Dunn, Brett Pelling).
| Post | Horse | Driver | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rodeo Drive Deo | Yannick Gingras | Ron Burke |
| 2 | Good As You | Todd McCarthy | Trent Stohler |
| 3 | The Last Martini | Doug McNair | Jared Bako |
| 4 | Lyin Eyes | Joey Putnam | Joe Putnam |
| 5 | Canttouchthese | John De Long | Roger Welch |
| 6 | Champagne Room | Ronnie Wrenn Jr. | Ron Burke |
| 7 | Three Times Bettor | Dexter Dunn | Brett Pelling |
How to Watch and Bet the Dan Patch Card
Post time for race one is 5:30 p.m. ET, with the Dan Patch running 13th on the 15 race card. FOX Sports 2 carries the broadcast from 9 to 11:30 p.m., with Gabe Prewitt and Jessica Otten on the national window and Jacob Rheinheimer and Emily Gaskin handling the on track simulcast from the Dan Patch Studio. Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Heyden works the paddock and winner's circle.
The wagering menu across the card includes a $10,000 guaranteed Early Pick 5 (races 1 through 5), an added Pick 4 (races 2 through 5), a $10,000 guaranteed Pick 4 (races 6 through 9), an added Double (races 10 and 11), an added All Stakes Pick 3 (races 11 through 13), a $30,000 guaranteed Late Pick 4 (races 12 through 15), and a $10,000 guaranteed Late High 5 on the finale in race 15. With 11 in the Dan Patch field, expect an additional High 5 offered on that race as well.
For anyone at the track, gates open with a live DJ, food trucks, bounce houses and a mechanical bull in The Yard from 6 to 10 p.m., plus free yard games in the Hoosier Outdoor Patio. Guests 18 and older can enter the free Door Prize Drawings near the winner's circle starting at 5:30 p.m., with prizes running from Indianapolis Colts home opener tickets to a $250 MegaBets voucher on the Dan Patch, and the $20,000 Friday Night Fling duck drop runs on the apron after race six.
The card comes together after Hoosier Park was forced to cancel Wednesday's program due to flooding in the area, with racing resuming Thursday on a 14 race card. Friday's 15 race Dan Patch program is proceeding as scheduled.
Betting the Dan Patch Stakes
Ten millionaires, two hometown hopefuls and a Sam McKee upset winner make this as competitive a Dan Patch field as Hoosier Park has drawn in years, and it's one of the best betting nights of the summer for anyone who follows the pace division.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
Frequently Asked Questions
Post time for race one at Harrah's Hoosier Park is 5:30 p.m. ET. The Dan Patch Stakes runs as race 13 on a 15 race program, so it goes off later in the card once the first 12 races have been contested.
Eleven pacers make up the field. The top 10 career money earners who entered all secured a spot, and Hoosier Park extended a supplemental invite to Crack Shot to complete the lineup.
Hometown hopeful Little Rocket Man arrives off a fifth Dan Patch try and an 87th career win at Hoosier Park, while Coach Stefanos, the 2024 Breeders Crown champion, has hit the board in three straight starts on the track. Double millionaires Bythemissal, Captain Optimistic and Fallout all ship in fresh off the Sam McKee Memorial at the Meadowlands.
The Rockin Nola is a brand new $100,000 Grade 3 for pacing mares, running as race 12, directly ahead of the Dan Patch. Seven mares are entered, led by Rodeo Drive Deo for trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras.
Yes. Online betting through MyWinners is open to all customers 18 and older, not just Indiana or Connecticut residents. That residency restriction only applies to Churchill Downs Incorporated tracks like the Kentucky Derby, not to Hoosier Park's harness card.
