Fillies Show Off In Ohio

A freshman trotting filly and pacing filly remain unbeaten in three career starts after sweeping their divisions of the Ohio State Fair stakes at Scioto Downs on Thursday night.

Jesses Messenger was the easiest kind of trotting winner for driver Ryan Stahl and trainer Kent Sherman in the $30,000 Ohio Fairs Trot. She moved to the lead in the opening half and drew off to win by six and a half lengths over Medoland Jesse and Rose Run Leah. The filly clocked an impressive 1:59.4 under wraps for owner Daryl Sherman.

Hawks Cry Electra was also an easy winner in the $32,400 State Fair Managers Pace, but driver Dan Noble reserved her off the early fractions which saw the opening quarter paced in :26.3. When the leaders began to tire entering the final quarter, Hawks Cry Electra moved three-wide on the final turn to grab the lead and win by five lengths in 1:54.3. Man Im Hot was second and Peeeeyouuuuuuuu was third. Virgil Morgan trains the winner for Joseph Muscara.

The other division of the Ohio Fairs Trot for freshman fillies went to Victory Is Coming, trained and driven by Ammon Hershberger for Betty and John Red Shaw. Starting from Post 8, the filly had to grind her way overland in the second half to win by a length in 2:03. CC Dancer got second money, while pacesetting Count N Caloris held for third.

Rub Thing took the second division of the State Fair Managers Pace for two-year-old fillies, as she decisively pulled away in the stretch after a first-over journey. Her victory was timed in 1:56.1 and Chris Page steered her for trainer-owner Virgil Morgan, Jr. Lovely Dawn closed from far back to get second, while Longlegacy was third.

The three-year-old trotting fillies competed in two divisions of the Pride of Ohio, each worth $25,250. The first division went to Fox Avenue Mom, who shot up the rail in deep stretch to win for trainer Jeff Conger, driver Ray Paver, and owner Walter D. Callam. Rose Run Keepsake set most of the fractions, rebuffed a bid from favored Mocha Jo, but then broke stride before the wire. Fox Avenue Mom capitalized on her error to win in 1:57.3 over Striking Lauren and Allthatnabagochip.

The other sophomore filly trot featured a tight finish with Get Chipped holding on to win by a head over the fast-finishing Cindora in a 1:58.1 mile. Marty Wollam trains the winner and Russell Swartz did the driving for Acadia Farms and Pat Holden. Nessa Rose was just a neck back in third.

The Ohio State Fair stakes continue at Scioto Downs on Friday, July 31.

(Scioto Downs)

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