Top trotting talent typically doesn't hail from Down Under, but Australian-bred Majestic Player A ($2.20) is making a major splash in the Buckeye State. The six-year-old ran his North American record to five wins in six starts with a 1:53.1 win in Friday's (May 29) $18,000 Open Trot at Scioto Downs.
The Majestic Son gelding enjoyed a four-race win streak in the Open ranks at Miami Valley this winter, and was poised to return to action following a sharp 1:54.2 qualifier on Saturday (May 23) at Harrah's Hoosier Park. After landing in fourth early behind 54-1 pacesetter No Whip Chip (Dan Noble) through a :28 first quarter, Majestic Player A angled off the pegs with a circuit remaining and advanced steadily to engage No Whip Chip and take over with five-sixteenths to go.
Majestic Player A drew clear past three-quarters in 1:24.4 and extended his lead to three lengths a sixteenth from home. Home free at that point, Brett Miller geared the Walter Haynes Jr. trainee down, and they maintained 1-3/4 lengths of clearance over runner-up Party At The Banks (Chris Page), who circled stalled cover off the home turn and lifted late. No Whip Chip held third.
Jeff Fought Racing, Brian Carsey and Casey Myers share ownership of Majestic Player A, whose lone loss in North America came in his Feb. 4 debut effort, when he missed Peggy Sue by a mere head at Miami Valley. The 20-time winner won 15 of 29 races in Australasia, including the 2019 Group 2 Woodlands Stud Breeders Crown at Melton.
In the $18,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace, Big Bad Jane ($6.20) and Dan Noble sprinted to the fore from post 5, controlled the terms through a :55.2 first half, and then staved off a persistent first-over push from Letme Fly Low (Trevor Smith) to prevail by a scant neck in 1:51.3. Westsluckycam (Jeremy Smith) chased off cover to narrowly take third at 36-1, another 2-1/4 lengths back and just better than pocket rival Shecandance N (Brett Miller).
Christi Noble trains Big Bad Jane, a six-year-old daughter of Big Bad John with 24 career wins to her name, for Sandra Burnett.