Open Pace champion Western Era (Cordarius Stewart) returns to Hawthorne Monday night. (Four Footed Fotos) 

By Mike Paradise for the I.H.H.A.

  In any sport, and that includes horse racing, having quality depth is a big advantage to continuing success and that’s the standard for the Midwest Division of the Erv Miller stable.

 A week ago, the Miller stable sent out Australian breds No Win No Feed and Ilikemebetter and both came up with Open convincing victories at Hawthorne, the former in the mare division and the latter in the male pacing grouping.

 Both won’t be back this week since the Hawthorne Race Office didn’t write an Open I on its Monday conditioned sheet and instead went with a trio of Open II events with the stipulation that any horse with an Open win in his or her last start is not eligible.

 No problem for the Erv Miller stable. They had replacements ready and able to step for their stable-mates and both are good enough to be handicapped by the Race Office with the outside posts in their respective events and very likely will be the post time favorites.

 New to Hawthorne is the Miller stable’s Ponda Adventure (Cordarius Stewart) and this four-year-old trotter has dazzling credentials. In her sophomore campaign the Swan For All mare hauled in $13,560 in purse money and went 14-for-16, often competing against elite companies.

 At one time Ponda Adventure won 10 consecutive races at Hoosier Park, mostly in Indiana sire stakes, and a $35,388 division of the Horseman stake. After three straight second place finishes, one in the $90,000 Langley stake and another in the $270,000 ISS Super Final, he proved best in his $28,500 Pegasus division and in a $30,000 Circle City split.

 The gelding’s only out-of-the-money outing was a seventh-place finish in the $200,000 Erskine. However, he then rebounded to end his second season of racing with wins in the $57,000 Star Destroyer and the $56,000 Thanksgiving Classic. His last five starts were all in Open company added money events.

 Monday night Ponda Adventure leaves from the outside eight-slot for owners the Engel Stale of Northbrook, IL, Louis A Willinger (Louisville, Ky), and Jerry Graham (Salem Illinois),

 He’ll face a solid field of local trotters consisting of Lousdobb (Casey Leonard), Never Mind N (Travis Seekman), Jack Vernon (Todd Warren), Loulita (Wyatt Avenatti), Scorecard Dam (Brandon Bates), Rockyroad Aldo (Robert Smolin) and Annas Lucky Star (Kyle Wilfong).

 Open Champ Returns: Earlier on the card (race two) Western Era (Cordarius Stewart), also from the Miller barn, makes a return visit to Hawthorne in the $9,500 Open II for male pacers and was assigned the outside seven-slot and rightly so. Earlier in the meet the four-year-old Indiana bred romped to a six-length Hawthorne victory in 1:50.4, six lengths ahead of runner-up Fox Valley Gemini.

 The four-year-old gelding paced a winning 1:49.1 mile this summer at Hoosier Park. Tonight, he’ll take on Clearchoice De Vie (Todd Warren), RJ Rocks (Travis Seekman), Fox Valley Ozzy (Gary Rath) and Tookadiveoffdipper (Casey Leonard).

 The third Open II on Monday’s program is for filly and mare pacers and will go as race four. From the pole position out you’ll find My Daddys Revenge (Casey Leonard), Dandy’s MNM (Robert Smolin), My Uptowne Girl (Travis Seekman), Lorraine Smoke (Kyle Husted), Wild Rosa (Kyle Wilfong) and Bombay Parkway (Brandon Bates).