Stopping the clock in 1:55.4, Whats Shakin set a new stakes record in winning the $205,479 Next Generation division for two-year-old colt trotters on Saturday (July 6) at Eldorado Scioto Downs. Ronnie Gillespie was up for the record-setting performance.

CS Tom K (Dan Noble) and Pink Panther (Kayne Kauffman) battled for a wicked opening quarter of 27.1. CS Tom K kept the lead through the :57 half when Pink Panther popped the pocket. Rose Run Ari (Brett Miller) followed suit, with Whats Shakin second over, but gapping cover by the 1:26.1 third quarter.

Around the last turn, Whats Shakin was in hot pursuit and the two colts battled to the wire. The 3/2 favourite Whats Shakin won by a length over Rose Run Ari. Memory Vault (Chris Page) came from the back to finish third.

“I knew the two and three horse had a lot of gate speed, so I wasn’t looking to leave," driver-trainer Gillespie said. "I just wanted to get in good position. It’s very special because last year I raced in this race with Sugar Instead and finished second, so I had to redeem myself. Then I was in the eighth race and my filly made a break…so it’s real special."

Whats Shakin is by What the Hill out of the Broadway Hall mare Broadway sister. He was bred by Steiner Stock Farm and is owned by William Donovan. Gillespie prepped Whats Shakin for the Next Generation with a lone qualifier at Scioto, finishing second and timed in 1:57.1.

“When I broke the colt, I didn’t even like the colt," Gillespie said. "The minute I got down to about 2:20, he showed that he had a lot of heart and I told (Mr. Donovan) that I wanted to put him in the Next Generation.”

The two-year-old colt pace division of the Next Generation was won by Swingtown (Chris Page) in 1:53. The duo was parked from post eight to just before the 28.2 opening quarter by De Dragon (Luke Hanners). De Dragon, at 3/5, quickly reclaimed the lead and the eventual race winner settled in the pocket towards fractions of 57.4 and 1:25.3.

Mr McDragon (Miller) made a first-over bid going down the backside but was not able to keep pace, which allowed Swingtown to get off the cones before the top of the stretch. Under a hand drive, Swingtown coasted home in 27.1 to win by two-and-a-half lengths. Downbytheparade (Aaron Merriman), who sat third along the rail for most of the mile, finished second with De Dragon holding on for third.

Swingtown, by Downbytheseaside out of the Art Major mare Swinging Beauty, was bred by Steiner Stock Farm and is owned by Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and R A S Racing. A $160,000 US purchase from the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale, Swingtown prepped for the Next Generation with two qualifiers at the Meadows, including a victory in 1:54.2 on June 18.

On the distaff side, The Word Is Out (pace) and Aunt Lilly (trot) took the Next Generation filly divisions.

In the filly pace division, Queen of Fear (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) took the early lead from post five. Prolific Fire (Brett Miller) was sitting second but took over just at the 26.2 quarter. She quickly took the field 55.2 half and held forth at the three quarters in 1:23.3.

The Word Is Out (Page) came third over from sixth, and was four-wide in the last turn, to get up to win by a half-length via a 28-second last quarter. Queen of Fear came back to be second while Maddie’s Delite (Dan Noble) also came from behind to finish third.

“Thankfully the pace was hot, and they came back to me,” Page said. “I like her, she’s very good gaited….I really want them sharp for when the money is on the line, like tonight. She finished with late pace both qualifiers and that is why she was able to go in 52.2 tonight.”

The World Is Out is by Well Said out of the Captaintreacherous mare Treacherous Secret and was a $24,000 US Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Shaffer & Sons. Trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Beasty and R A S Racing, the filly prepped for the Next Generation with two qualifiers at The Meadows.

The prohibitive favourite in the two-year-old trotting filly division, Aunt Lilly (Anthony MacDonald), went gate-to-wire to win by three lengths in 1:57.2. R Maggie (Chris Lems) stalked the leader as they tripped the beam in 29, 1:00 and 1:28.4. After R Maggie broke stride at the three-quarter pole, Mega Money (Merriman) came up for second, with Rose Run Allison (Page) closing from seventh at the three-quarter pole to be third.

By Uncle Peter out of the Lucky Chucky mare Chuckys Luckycharm, Aunt Lilly came into the Next Generation off a win in a pop-up series at The Meadows for trainer Jason McGinnis and owners Thestable Aunt Lilly Group and Hutchison Harness. Aunt Lilly was bred by Samuel Stoltzfus, Jr.

There was also Ohio Sires Stakes action on Saturday's card, with a lone division for three-year-old colt trotters and two divisions for the sophomore pacers.

In the $136,986 OHSS division for sophomore trotters, Royal Precedent (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) set early fractions of 27.2 and 56.2. Hung Over (Dan Noble) made a first over bid going to the 1:24.2 third-quarter. Around the last turn, Tennessee Tom (Page) came three-wide around the dull cover to power on by to win by three lengths in 1:53. Spaaaanzano (Merriman) got up for second after a miscue leaving the gate; Hung Over finished third. Tennessee Tom is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Hatfield Stables and Knox Services. After sitting out the first leg, Tennessee Tom has now won the last two Sires Stakes legs.

The third time was the charm for the well-traveled Hundred Dollar Man, who made his third trip to Ohio for Sires Stakes action. Hundred Dollar Man sat in the pocket behind Dancin Moon (Merriman) who set fractions of 26.3, 56 and 1:22.4. Montrell Teague pulled Hundred Dollar Man midway through the last turn to win by a length in 1:50.1.

Clive Francis trains the gelding by Lather Up for owner/breeder Brenda Teague. Racing Rebel (Austin Hanners) finished second while Pariss Dragon (Noble) closed in 26.4 from fifth to get up for third. Hundred Dollar Man had two thirds in the previous two legs of the OHHS this season.

The second $89,041 split was won by Clever Cody and Merriman in 1:50.2. The pair got away fourth with a lot of action up front going to the 26.3 opening quarter. Outer Banks (Wrenn, Jr.) took the lead from post eight with Rose Run Zane (Hanners) parked and hot on their heels. Rose Run Zane crossed over as the field straightened out in the stretch and Merriman had already pulled Clever Cody to make their bid for the front.

The duo cleared going under the wire for the first time and lead through the 54.3 half and 1:23.1 third quarter. Outer Banks made another move down the backside in a first-over bid, but the 1/2 favourite Clever Cody held sway to win by three-quarters of a length over a fast-closing Rock The Hill (Josh Sutton). Outer Banks was third.

Clever Cody is owned by the Clever Cody Stable and trained by Dr. Ian Moore. The colt by The Panderosa is now three-for-three in the Ohio Sires Stakes and is just shy of a half-million in earnings with $495,582.

There were also three $41,095 open events held on stake- laden card.

In the fillies and mares open, the 1/5 favourite Strong Poison (Noble) left from the eight hole to lead the majority of the mile, tripping the beam in 26.2, 54.3, 1:21.4. Penpaperpaige (Tyler Smith) got the perfect pocket trip and came up the inside to win by a half-length in 1:49.4. Strong Poison held off the first over bid by Prosecco Princess (Luke Hanners) to finish second, while Prosecco Princess was third.

Penpaperpaige, trained by Jeff Smith, is owned by Bet The House and Tyler & Maevyn Smith.

The open trot was won by Kildare King (Merriman), who went gate-to-wire, setting nearly identical fractions to the filly and mare open pace, of 26.2, 54.4 and 1:22. Flemsteen (Smith) was just a neck back in second with Ahundreddollarbill (Brett Miller) getting up for third.

Kildare King is owned by breeder Robert Goodman and trained by Chris Beaver.

Artatac A also took his open event gate-to-wire, winning the open pace in 1:49.4. Going to the lead from post seven, at the 26.1 opening quarter Noble fended off a bid from Carbine, who left from post eight. Carbine settled in second, while the field went through fractions of 54.4 and 1:22.1.

Tickertape Hanover (Luke Hanners) made a first over move going down the backside, of which Stars Align A (Trevor Smith) took advantage. Using the cover, he came three-wide around the last turn to get up for second. Carbine was third.

Artatac A is trained by Christi Noble for James Morris and Norman Rae Racing.

Allegiant made it two wins in a row by taking the $136,986 Moni Maker Trot. Hunter Myers was up for the two-length victory in 1:52.2. Jurassic Hattie (Brett Miller) was second and Roxanna (Merriman) was third. 

A three-year-old Tactical Landing filly, Allegiant is 2-1-0 in five starts this year, with a bankroll of $134,352. The Vernon Beachy trainee has career earnings of $457,752.

Seaside Diva (Page) improved to six-for-six on the year with a victory in the $136,986 Nadia Lobell Pace. Seaside Diva won by a half length in 1:50.4. Pass Line (Wrenn Jr.) and Lyons Legend (Merriman) completed the trifecta. 

Trained by Ron Burke, Seaside Diva is a three-year-old Downbytheseaside filly. She's earned $242,467 this year and $482,272 lifetime.  

The 90-day Eldorado Scioto Downs race meet continues through Saturday, September 14. Races are held Tuesday-Saturday with a first post of 5:45 p.m. each day, except for Friday, September 13, which will have a 6:15 p.m. post to help accommodate horsemen attending the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale.

(Scioto Downs)