The Crawford County Fair in Bucyrus, Ohio hosted four $27,397 divisions of the opening leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for freshman colt trotters on Wednesday, July 16.

Hidden Brook Monty, a Ready For Moni gelding out of Little Flower, posted the fastest time among the four divisions, tripping the wire in 2:01.2 over the 'good' track to win the second division with Ronnie Gillespie driving. After leaving from post six in the seven-horse field, the Dalton Walls trainee led the entire way setting splits of :30.2, 1:01 and 1:31.2 and finished two lengths clear of second-place Longtimecomin (Drew Neill) for his first career win in just his second start. Lils Super Tom (Crist Hershberger) was third. Hidden Brook Monty is owned by Walls, Aaron Chandler, James Mason II and Adam Friedland.

Ready Made, another Ready For Moni gelding out of Pearl Axe It, won a division in what was his first career start. Driven by Sandy Beatty, the Dustin Arledge trainee left from the far outside and was third as Dublins Sidney (Gillespie) led at the :32 quarter and 1:05 half. Ready Made trailed the leader by five lengths at the halfway mark but moved first-over and into second place by the 1:36.2 third quarter mark. He continued closing the gap down the stretch and edged ahead of Dublins Sidney by a half-length at the line as they both finished in 2:06.2. Mile Range (Luke Hanners) was third. Ready Made is owned by Arledge and Jim Winske.

Trainer Justin Hall drove Long To B Withu to a Buckeye victory in a lifetime-best 2:02.2. The Long Tom-Connie gelding settled into the pocket off the gate as Mogul Maverick (Neill) led the field through the first three calls in :31.2, 1:01.4 and 1:32.2. Hall took Long To B Withu to the outside just past the third quarter mark and maneuvered past an off-stride Mogul Maverick up the track around the final turn en route to the victory. Ready For Sunshine (Gillespie) was over a length back in second and Buy Me A Boat (Chris Beaver) was third. Long To B Withu has hit the board in all three seasonal starts with two wins and one second. He is owned by Mitchell Standardbreds Inc. and Golden Gaits USO.

Eckert Hill Brady took the other division in a lifetime-best 2:04.1 with Drew Neill in the driver's seat. The Rosy Weaver trainee left from the far outside and was fifth at the :30.4 quarter. Eckert Hill Brady moved second over as Daniel My Brother (Hershberger) continued to lead past the 1:03.1 half and 1:34.3 three-quarters. The In Range-Carrie The Torch gelding moved outside of Heza Fearles Peter (Ryan Stahl) and into second place just past the third quarter mark. He drew alongside Daniel My Brother around the final turn and charged in front to win by almost two lengths. Daniel My Brother held on for second over Rudedude L (Hank LeVan). Eckert Hill Brady is now three-for-three this season for owners Weaver, Roger Huston and Kabby D LLC.

Wednesday’s Buckeye Stallion Series races were part of a 12-race card at the Crawford County Fair. In other action, Stahl posted driving wins with the Jessica McCown-trained Heerz Popeye in the Walter Michael Memorial Signature Series pacing division in 1:57.1 and Pleasantview in the Bucyrus Moose Pace, a maiden race, in 1:59.3. He finished as the only driver with multiple wins on the day. 

David Justice drove Q Cobra Jet to victory in the Playboy Hanover Terry Holton Youth Driving Series in 2:01.1 for one of LeVan’s two training wins in the card.

The 2025 Buckeye Stallion Series continues on Saturday, July 19 with the opening leg for freshman colt pacers at MGM Northfield Park. The second leg for two-year-old colt trotters is scheduled for July 24 at Eldorado Scioto Downs. 

The two-day Crawford County Fair meet concludes on Thursday, July 17 with a 16-race card beginning at 5 p.m.

(With files from Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)