Ohio native Brett Miller got the perfect trip with Ken Hanover, winning the $273,973 Battle of Lake Erie (Grade 2) in world record fashion on Saturday, June 7 at MGM Northfield Park.

Miller earned his fourth victory in the Battle of Lake Erie, but it had been 11 years since he took home the trophy. Miller previously won with Maltese Artist (2005, 2007) and Clear Vision (2014).

As expected, there was a lot of speed early as Dunkin (Kurt Sugg) hustled off the wings defending pylon position into the first turn with Ken Hanover advancing, parked on the outside, and Seven Colors (Aaron Merriman) a ground-saving third.

Entering the backstretch, Ken Hanover crossed over in front of Dunkin, but Desperate Man (Matt Kakaley) was breathing down his neck on the outside. Desperate Man and Ken Hanover duelled to a :26.2 first quarter.

Desperate Man finally worked his way past Ken Hanover entering the far turn for the first time. Kakaley was not going to get any breathers as Helium N (Dan Noble) flushed out Seven Colors as they turned into the stretch. The field was double tiered past the half in a demanding :54.1, with Desperate Man doing all the dirty work.

Entering the backstretch, Kakaley stepped on the gas with Desperate Man and Noble flipped Helium N three-wide as he looked to advance on the leaders, but at the three-quarters in a supersonic 1:21, Helium N began to stall.

Midway into the far turn, Ken Hanover who had saved ground from second, tipped to the outside and went by Desperate Man through the stretch. He won by 1-1/2 lengths in a track and world record clocking of 1:48.3. 

The winning time was one-fifth of a second faster than the previous world record for older pacing stallions on a half-mile track, co-held by Dragon Striker (Northfield, 2020) and Dancin Yankee (Saratoga, 2014). It was one second off the overall aged male record held by gelding This Is The Plan.

Ken Hanover paid $11.20 to win as the 9-2 fourth betting choice. Desperate Man had to settle for second and local Dunkin closed gamely to be third. The favourite, Mossdale Ben N (Jordan Stratton) finished fourth.

“He’s come back really good, knock on wood -- hopefully the issues he had last year are behind him,” said winning trainer Roland Mallar. “That’s a really good bunch of horses he faced tonight. You have to be on your best game on nights like these and he was tonight.”

The five-year-old by Captaintreacherous out of KJs Justine is owned by Mallar along with Maine residents Patrick Leavitt of Buxton and William Jordan of Fryeberg, and Dennis Osterholt of Boyton Beach, Florida. 

Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Ken Hanover continues his trek to $1 million, pushing his career earnings over the $900,000 mark with his 16th career win from 47 starts.

Do It Like Bobbi Wins MGM Buckeye Distaff

Do It Like Bobbi and driver Dan Noble made a mid-race move to score an impressive win in the $102,740 MGM Buckeye Distaff for Ohio-sired pacing mares.

Tasked with starting from the second tier, Do It Like Bobbi got away fourth from post nine into the first turn behind My Red Sea (Brett Miller), Fearless Ginger (Chris Page) and No Foolin April (Jeremy Smith). My Red Sea stretched out Fearless Ginger entering the backstretch, but Fearless Ginger was able to power past during a snappy :26.4 first quarter.

Entering the far turn, Tarapasta (Austin Hanners) tipped to the outside which flushed out Do It Like Bobbi from third. The pair began to advance to the outside of rivals, but coming to the half in :55, Noble created some separation from Tarapasta and took the lead from the favourite, Fearless Ginger.

Hitting the three-quarters in 1:21.3, Do It Like Bobbi was clear by 3-3/4 lengths over Fearless Ginger and Naked On A Hill (Aaron Merriman), who had begun to make big moves from the back of the pack.

Through the stretch, Do It Like Bobbi was much the best and won by 5-3/4 lengths in 1:50. My Red Sea was second while Fearless Ginger dug in to be third.

The victory pushed Do It Like Bobbi’s lifetime earnings over the $600,000 mark. A career winner of 28 races, the six-year-old homebred mare by Downbytheseaside out of Angels N Demons is conditioned by Christi Noble and owned by Stephen Sexton of Xenia, Ohio.

Ohio Sire Stakes Fill Saturday Undercard

Trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. conditioned Odds On Chesapeake and  Odds On Hialeah to dominant victories in their respective $89,041 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions as they stamped themselves at the top of the three-year-old filly pacing ranks.

While both won impressively, it was Odds On Chesapeake who put together the fastest performance with a 1:50 victory in rein to Dan Noble.

In the first division, My Hare Legend (Chris Page) and Skywalker Sea (Austin Hanners) both left alertly jostling for position into the initial turn, while Odds On Chesapeake floated away in third. Heading into the backstretch for the first time, Skywalker Sea was able to clear rivals and opened a four-length lead through a :27 opening quarter.

Hanners tried to get a breather in the second panel, but Skywalker Sea arrived at the half in :55.3, and then heavy favourite Odds On Chesapeake began her rally. The pair duelled through much of the final half, arriving at three-quarters in 1:22.4 with neither filly giving way.

Turning into the stretch, Odds On Chesapeake was able to work past Skywalker Sea winning by 1-1/4 lengths. Skywalker Sea, after a valiant effort, was second, with My Hare Legend (Chris Page) finishing third.

“The track was lightning fast tonight. She got over it really well,” said an enthusiastic Noble. “The track has really come back to life.”

Owned by Odds On Racing of Boca Raton, Florida, the filly by Downbytheseaside out of Macaroon is undefeated in three sophomore starts.

Last year's Ohio Sires Stakes champion Odds On Hialeah continued her comeback to the races with a gate-to-wire victory in the second division.

Odds On Hialeah was put into play early by driver Brett Miller, making the front from the rail into the first turn. She got down to the opening quarter in a testing :26.4 with the field in straight alignment entering the far turn for the first time.

Miller got a big-time breather in the second quarter with Odds On Hialeah getting to the half in a leisurely :55.4. Entering the backstretch, Miller stepped on the gas with Odds On Hialeah opening up a two-length lead at three-quarters in 1:24.2.

Turning for home, Odds On Hialeah faced no pressure and cruised home to a 1-1/4-length win in 1:51.2. Rose Run Aimee (Dan Noble) was second while Guard The Fire (Jordan Stratton) rallied to be third.

Owned by Let It Ride Stables and Odds On Racing, the filly by Lather Up out of Laughandbehappy is perfect in two starts this year and now nine-for-10 lifetime with earnings soaring over the half-million mark.

“It’s been fun watching her mature from her standout two-year-old season," said co-owner Dana Parham. "We are excited for what her sophomore campaign has to offer.”

Both fillies were bred by Odds On Nourrir of Florida.

The winners of the Ohio Sires Stakes for three-year-old filly trotters won in different fashion on Saturday with Jailhouse Pearl rallying from off-the-pace and Aunt Laura scoring in gate-to-wire fashion.

In the first division, there was a wild three-wide scramble into the first turn while Mega Money (Aaron Merriman), Wild As You (Tyler Smith) and R Maggie (Chris Lems) battled for position. The race, however, was turned on its head early as heavy favourite Mega Money, who had left alertly from post two, made a break, allowing Wild As You to inherit the lead. 

R Maggie drove on past Wild As You through a :28.2 first quarter. Lems was able to rate R Maggie in the second quarter to just :30, but then the outer flow began to come together as Jailhouse Pearl and Dan Noble made a first-over bid for the lead. 

R Maggie was able to continue hold off rivals, but at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.3, Jailhouse Pearl began to bear down on the leader entering the far turn.  As Jailhouse Pearl continued to get closer to the leader, Lems asked R Maggie for more, but through the stretch Jailhouse Pearl proved to be too good, scoring an upset in 1:54.4. R Maggie was a game second, with Wild As You taking advantage of the miscue by Chrome Trim in the stretch to be third.

Jailhouse Pearl, the Ohio Fair champion at two, won her Sire Stakes debut for trainer Eric Nesselroad. The Long Tom-Jailhouse Broad filly is owned by breeder Casey Clemens of Malta, Ohio.

In the second division, the 2024 Ohio Sires Stakes freshman champion, Aunt Laura, made short work of her foes winning in front-end fashion.

Dream Something (Tyler Smith) tried to defend the pylon position when she left aggressively from the rail heading into the first turn. Aunt Laura and Brett Miller drove up outside of Dream Something and was able to power past entering the backstretch. At the quarter in :27.3, Aunt Laura opened a 2-1/2-length lead on her rivals.

Aunt Laura still had a 1-1/2-length lead at the half in :56.1 and continued to cruise on the front end, but entering the clubhouse turn for the final time, the field began to catch up to her. Midway up the backstretch, Smith gave the green light to Dream Something, who confronted Aunt Laura and the pair squared off past the three-quarters in 1:25.3.

Duelling into the final turn, Aunt Laura stood her ground, digging in to fight off Dream Something by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:54. Rose Run Allison (Chris Page) was second and Dream Something was third.

“This filly got really good at the end of her two-year-old season," said Miller. "It took us a few times to get her qualified this year, but once we got her straightened out, she’s been winning ever since. Once a horse gets next to her, she knows its time for business.”

Another Sires Stakes winner for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr., the Uncle Peter-Tori Ann filly has now won three races in a row. She is owned by Joycea McClelland Stable.

Trainer Ron Burke sent out the winners of both Ohio Sires Stakes divisions for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers, Rick Wink and Fear The Hate.

In the first division, Rick Wink and Chris Page left alertly with Extra Suds (Brett Miller) and Jon I Love Dat (Aaron Merriman). Rick Wink was taken back into third, allowing Extra Suds and Jon I Love Dat to duel for the lead. Extra Suds worked past Jon I Love Dat entering the backstretch, getting to the quarter in :27.2.

Extra Suds, the pinto by Lather Up, got to the half in :55 with the field in straight alignment. With three-eighths of a mile left to pace, heavy favourite Rick Wink was given the green light from Page and the response was instant as he powered past to the lead before three-quarters in 1:22.4. Through the stretch, Rick Wink was hand driven winning by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:50. Extra Suds settled for second and John I Love Dat finished third.

Rick Wink is perfect in two Sires Stakes starts this year after going eight-for-nine as a rookie. 

Bred by Larry Miller, the Bit Of A Legend N-McGrin N McBare It colt is owned by Burke Racing Stable, R A S Racing, Knox Services and J&T Silva-Purnel&Libby.

In the second division, stablemate Fear The Hate scored an impressive 1-1/2-length victory after being parked for part of the first quarter-mile.

Downbythewater (Chris Lems) sprinted off the wings from post seven and he ended up three-deep outside of Unique Catch (Matt Kakaley) and Billion (Kayne Kauffman) around the first turn. Entering the backstretch, Lems asked Downbythewater to go forward and he responded powering past Unique Catch. That lead, however, was short lived as Fear The Hate was guided to the outside by Chris Page and worked to challenge Downbythewater for the lead past a :27.2 first quarter.

Page was able to clear with Fear The Hate entering the far turn for the first time. Fear The Hate then got a second quarter breather, getting to the half in :56, with Seaside Deli (Aaron Merriman) and the grey Mama Said Zip It (Jeremy Smith) rolling on the outside first and second-over, respectively.

At the three-quarters in 1:24, Fear The Hate had no challenges and that would not change in the final quarter mile as he drew off to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.1. Unique Catch was second and Billion (Kayne Kauffman) finished third.

Acquired by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Beasty prior to the start of his sophomore campaign, Fear The Hate has won all five of his races this year. Emerald Highlands Farms bred the Fear The Dragon-The Mad Hatter colt.

LT Loverboy and Battle Hill won their respective Ohio Sires Stakes divisions for three-year-old colt and gelding trotters.

Defending Sires Stakes divisional champion LT Loverboy and Brett Miller fired quickly off the wings clearing Hilltop Sonar (Chris Page) midway through the first turn. From there, the race was just about over.

LT Loverboy set up shop on the lead past a quick opening quarter in :27.3. He led the field in straight alignment past a :56.2 half and as the field entered the backstretch, Vekna (Kayne Kauffman) was guided to the outside to take on LT Loverboy. At three-quarters in 1:24.4, LT Loverboy kicked clear from eventual breaker Hilltop Sonar and Vekna, drawing off through the stretch under confident handling from Miller in 1:52.4. Vekna finished 3-1/4 lengths behind while Stud Miffin T (Tyler Smith) rounded out the top three.

Trained by Daren Harvey and owned by Wayne Mast Jr. and Callam Racing, the Long Tom-Fortheloveoflindy gelding went over $500,000 in earnings with his eighth career win in 14 starts. He was bred by Midland Acres Inc.

Battle Hill proved post eight wasn’t an issue as he scored a big victory in the second division.

Oso Fast (Matt Kakaley) and Whats Shakin (Ronnie Gillespie) both left alertly and lined up into the initial turn. Scrappys Love (Dan Noble) tried to leave with them but broke in the first turn forcing Battle Hill and Chris Lems three-wide around the turn. Battle Hill continued that first-over march and was able to work past Oso Fast after a :28.4 first quarter.

Lems got a :29 breather in the second quarter as he began to create some separation from rivals. Into the backstretch, Jet Wings (Brett Miller) came to the outside and duelled with Oso Fast but was never able to get to Battle Hill, who drew off by 2-3/4 lengths at three-quarters in 1:26.1.

Through the stretch, Battle Hill was on cruise control, winning by two lengths in 1:54.4. Jet Wings was second, while Whats Shakin had to settle for third.

Trained by Matthew Burkeholder and owned by William Hartt, the Marseille-Battle Image gelding is now eight-for-14 in his career with his only loss this year in five starts a runner-up finish to LT Loverboy in the Hackett. He was bred by Galliers Racing.

(With files from Northfield Park)