Reigning Ohio Horse of the Year Jesses Messenger appeared to be beaten in the final quarter of the $24,250 Pride of Ohio at Scioto Downs on Thursday night, but she rallied in the stretch to catch Victory Is Coming

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It was the fifth win in nine starts this season for the daughter of Jailhouse Jesse, who was driven by Ryan Stahl for owner Daryl Sherman and trainer Kent Sherman. She sent off at 2-5 odds by the bettors.

Stahl sent her to the front in a slow :30.2 second quarter, but second choice Victory Is Coming attacked immediately and shot to the front with a :28-second third quarter. Victory Is Coming opened several lengths around the final turn and appeared to be a winner entering the stretch, but Jesses Messenger fought back to win by a length in 1:56.1. Hat finished third.

The Pride of Ohio was one of several events that kicked off three nights of Ohio State Fair stakes at Scioto Downs.

The other division of the Pride of Ohio went to Laser Lucy, a 1:58 winner for driver Chris Page, trainer Mark Deaton, and owner Richard Paltani. She shot up the inside to win by a half-length.

In the $48,200 State Fair Managers Pace for freshman fillies, the 1-5 favourite Osbornes Sweeper went to the front after the first quarter and led all the way to win in 1:54.4 by 1-3/4 lengths. Cruisin Wanda and JL Cruise The Nite dogged her dust to the wire to earn second and third monies.

Ryan Stahl drove Osbornes Sweeper for trainer Eric Hamlet and owner Jerome Osborne.

There were also two divisions of the Ohio Fairs Trot for freshman trotting fillies.

The fastest division went to Photo Memory, a gate-to-wire winner for trainer-driver Jim Dailey and owners Kimberly Dailey and Paul Thiesing. The daughter of Jailhouse Jesse fought off homestretch challenges from Minnie Spur and Count Your Credit to trip the timer in 2:00.4.

The other split went to ML Cupcake, a daughter of Master Lavec, trained by Scott Mogan and driven by Chip Noble. The winner trailed pacesetting Sleek Jessie until the final quarter when she launched her attack. The fillies trotted as a team around the final turn and into the stretch. ML Cupcake finally wedged a half-length in front when she hit the wire in 2:01.2. ML Cupcake is owned by William Johnson and Douglas Millard.

Frank Lloyd rewarded long shot players with a $214.40 payoff when he won in 1:57.2 for driver Shawn Barker. Despite a victory in his last start at Northfield Park, the sophomore son of Rocknroll Hanover went off at 106-1 odds. Cambest In Motion, off at 32-1 odds, finished second to trigger a $3,507.60 exacta.

(Scioto Downs)