Chilly temperatures didn’t put a damper on the richest night ever in Ohio horse racing, as $2 million were paid out in eight $250,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Championships contested on Saturday, September 2 at Scioto Downs.

The undefeated Seeing Eye Single, a Dragon Again gelding conditioned by Ronnie Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Silva, Purnel, Libby, Karr and Weaver Bruscemi, notched his fifth career win in as many tries, pacing in 1:53.3 in the $250,000 Championship for two-year-old colt pacers.

“This horse just doesn’t want to lose,” Burke stressed in the Scioto winner’s circle. “We may shut him down now or may give him one more start at Lexington.”

Driven by Josh Sutton, Seeing Eye Single pushed his career earnings to $205,000, besting 7-1 rival Rockathon by game head with 44-1 Dragonology another half-length back. He was bred by Shim Racing.

In the $250,000 Championship for freshman pacing fillies, Bad Girls Rule, sent at 7-2, used a front-stepping 1:54.3 effort under steering by Dan Noble to grab her fourth win in seven starts. Trained by Jim Dailey for the 3rd Floor Stables of Springboro, Ohio, the World Of Rocknroll lass upped her career earnings to $179,650. Bred by Spring Haven Farm, Bad Girls Rule finished three-quarters of a length in front of 18-1 Believe In Waco, while Baron Remy was third.

Mission Accepted took home the $250,000 Championship crown for two-year-old colt trotters with a 1:56.3 career-best clocking under driver Ryan Stahl and trainer Jeff Conger. Bred and co-owned by Knox Services, Jeff Conger, and David Wills, the Manofmanymissions colt now has $173,800 in earnings from three wins and a third in six starts. The 8-5 youngster overtook the tiring, undefeated, even-money favourite Sultan Of Cash late in the stretch to prevail by two-and-a-half lengths over Count On Cody, with 39-1 long-shot Sugar Top grabbing thrid. Sultan Of Cash held fourth.

Rose Run Sydney was back in the winner’s circle for the seventh time this season in nine starts, guided by Jason Brewer to a 1:57.1 score in the $250,000 Championship for three-year-old trotting fillies. Trained and co-owned by Steve Carter, Adam Friedland, and Rbr Racing, the Triumphant Caviar lass, who was sent off at 4-5 odds, now has $337,892 in career earnings. Gabbysloosechange was second, while Away My Baby was third.

Fraser Ridge cruised to an easy 1:55.2 victory in the $250,000 Championship for three-year-old colt trotters with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. in the sulky. Trained by Chris Beaver, the Triumphant Caviar colt was the 1-5 favourite, besting Full Surge easily by two-and-a-half lengths with Magic Vacation behind in third. Bred by Steve Stewart of Kentucky, Fraser Ridge was a $29,000 yearling purchase at the Ohio Select Sale and now has $370,457 in career earnings from eight wins, six seconds and a third in 21 starts.

Pistol Packin Mama and driver Trace Tetrick used come-from-behind tactics to capture the $250,000 Championship for three-year-old pacing fillies in 1:53. The bay daughter by The Panderosa, who was bred by Canada’s Brian Doyle, is conditioned by Tyler George for the Herres Stable and sports a bankroll of $232,750 from eight wins and four seconds in 12 starts. The 4-5 favourite easily defeated Bourbon And Barley by three-and-a-quarter lengths and Rosa’s Touch by four lengths.

Drunk On Your Love prevailed in the $250,000 Championship for three-year-old colts pacers after a dramatic, four-wide move around the final turn that saw him trip the timer in 1:53. Trained by Jim Pollock, Jr. for Mark Ford and Jason Settlemoir, the Foreclosure N gelding bested 5-1 rival Big Bad Bruce by two-and-a-half lengths. Scotch McEwan was third. Sent off at 8-5 odds, Drunk On Your Love raised his bank account to $204,000 and now has ten wins and a second in 16 lifetime starts.

The only longshot to win a $250,000 Championship was the freshman trotting filly Impinktoo, who paid $31.00 to win. The Manofmanymissions lass is trained by Jim Dailey and was steered by Peter Wrenn to a 1:57 lifetime best clocking for owners Billy Walters, Joe McLead (both of Delaware) and Rtk Racing, Powell, OH.

Impinktoo—a half-sister to World Champion and Hambletonian winner Pinkman—was a $27,000 yearling purchase at the 2016 Lexington Select Sale who has earned $162,040 to date in six starts, with two wins, one second and one third to her credit. She overtook the 1-9 favorite Looking For Zelda (Tony Hall) late in the lane to win by half a length, with 29-1 To Russia third for Ryan Stahl. She was bred by Jay Mossbarger.

An emotional Joe McLead—who owns and operates Sugar Valley Farm in Delaware along with his uncle Billy Walters—expounded on what the Ohio Sires Stakes mean as a breeder and owner of Standardbreds in the Buckeye State.

“My grandfather started our farm in 1968 in Delaware,” McLead offered. “He had a few stallions and a busy veterinary practice, and my uncle was a successful driver-trainer. It was only about six years ago when we started to talk about possibly making the farm into a breeding operation, and about a year before the slots came to fruition, we thought we’d take a chance.

“We were fortunate to have folks like George Teague and David Heffering send us stallions. George sent us Mr Wiggles and I’m Gorgeous and David sent us Pilgrim’s Taj and Woodstock and in 2012 we began our breeding operation. It was a huge leap of faith for us as back then when the Ohio Sires Stakes Championship had just $75,000 purses.

“So, for the legislators to rejuvenate our industry and at the same time to be part of something my grandfather started, well, it’s a testament to the folks who stuck it out through the hard times and worked hard behind the scenes to get us where we are,” McLead continued. “From where we were six years ago to where we are now with the Ohio Sires Stakes is amazing. The public needs to realize that these Championships are also a testament to the entire Ohio agricultural community who has supported racing.

“This includes the horse industry in general in Ohio, and not only the Ohio Standarbred Development Fund (OSDF) but also the Ohio Thoroughbred Race Fund (OTRF), which are both run by the Ohio State Racing Commission (OSRC). There are probably 16,000 to 18,000 jobs directly or indirectly related to what has happened through legislation. People that build fences, those that have green space, the grain farmers and the folks behind the scenes at the tracks and in the racing offices have all been positively affected. It’s amazing how the horse industry has an endless effect on the entire state.

“If not for the decisions made, a lot of people would not be where they are today. Our business is not just one night, it’s 365 days a year, but we get to have this one night of celebration. When horses go from the breeding shed to racing and winning the Ohio Sires Stakes Championships, it’s a testament to the perseverance that horsemen have and to those who endured through the trying times. For most of us in this business, working with the horses isn’t just a job, it’s a lifestyle.”

(Ohio Sires Stakes)