Chalk players liked the five divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes at Scioto on Saturday as favourites won each one

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The sophomore fillies were using the Ohio Sires Stakes event as preps for the Ohio State Fair races to be contested at Scioto next week.

Reigning Ohio Horse of the Year Jesses Messenger jogged to an easy 5-1/4 length win for Ryan Stahl in 1:57.1. The 1-5 favourite trotted along in fourth place for the first half-mile, then marched to the front during the third quarter. When she reached the front, the race was effectively over as her rivals had no chance of catching her. Donnamom was second and Floris Future was third. It was the fourth win in eight starts this year for Jesses Messenger, who is owned by Daryl Sherman and trained by Kent Sherman.

The other Ohio Sires Stakes for sophomore filly trotters was taken by Victory Is Coming and trainer-driver Ammon Hershberger. She grabbed the lead at the half-mile marker and then trotted easily to the wire in 1:56.4. It was her sixth win in eight starts this season for owners Betty and John Red Shaw of Mount Vernon, Ohio.
Anastasia Whinnie held on for second place while Laser Lucy closed fast for third.

Hawks Cry Electra, the top freshman filly in Ohio last year, got her third win of the 2010 season in nine starts when she won her Ohio Sires Stakes split for soph pacing fillies in 1:54. She left from the inside position and followed second choice Lovely Dawn into the stretch, then paced past the leader to win by a half-length. Our Ms Annabel was several lengths back in third. The winning filly is trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr. for owner Joseph Muscara. Chris Page, the leading driver at Scioto Downs, drove her.

Page also won a Sires Stakes split with the Morgan-owned and trained Rub Thing in 1:55.1 after coming third-over and then tipping three wide. Page drove his filly with great confidence and caught the leader Lullaby Til Dawn in the stretch drive. Golden Fizz was second and Shes A Ball finished third. Rub Thing won for the third time in seven starts.

Dan Noble used a similar driving strategy to win a division with Up Front Cruiser. He was third-over at the half, then gunned his Yankee Cruiser filly three wide around the final turn. She sprinted to a half-length win over Southwind Rah Rah with Man Im Hot third. Jim Arledge, Jr. trains Up Front Cruiser for owner Ed Mullinax. It was her third win in eight starts this season.

(Scioto Downs)