The husband-wife team of Dan and Christi Noble combined for a grand slam, including a track-record victory with Helium N in the $34,722 Open Pace, on the final card of the meet at Scioto Downs on Saturday, Sept. 13 as both the driving and training titles came down to the wire.

Helium N went out and put on a show, steaming through fractions of :25.3, :53, and 1:19.2 on the lead and closing it out with a :27.2 kicker to stop the clock in 1:46.4 - a fifth of a second off the world record for an aged pacing gelding on a five-eighths-mile track. He knocked two-fifths of a second off the divisional track record set by Bythemissal earlier this year. Helium N was 3-1/2 lengths the best with Women Layer (Sam Widger), who broke at the start, closing for second over Martins Millions (Brett Miller).

Helium N is now five-for-16 since shipping into North America from New Zealand. The six-year-old son of Sky Major-Cooking With Gas has a career record of 13 wins and $221,059 in earnings from 57 outings. He is owned by James Morris, Norman Rae Racing LLC, Dennis Owens, and Carl Howard. 

Team Noble also won with Naturally Gifted A ($4.80) in 1:47.2 in the first race, Sinbad N ($4.80) in 1:47 in Race 4, and Celtic Spirit N ($2.20) in 1:47 in the sixth race. 

Dan Noble also drove the Joseph Barnes-trained Finnegan Again ($7.20) to victory in the second race in 1:53.3 and ended the day with five wins. The reinsman broke out last season, reaching $10 million in earnings in a year for the first time, and he has already hit eight digits again in 2025. He tallied 235 wins in the Scioto meet, finishing second to Chris Page by six scores.

Christi Noble has 66 victories this year for a strike rate of 27 per cent. Her barn has been sharp in September with seven wins from 10 starts. She leapfrogged multiple trainers with her final-day haul to finish fifth in the standings.

Trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. clinched his 31st consecutive training title, though this year it was shared. Getting a single victory on the Saturday card, Morgan came back from being one win down to tie with Ron Burke. Both trainers ended the meet with 107 victories.

Chris Page took the leading driver title with 241 victories.

"I'm not one for individual accolades," said Page. "It took a small village to get here. I'd like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout the year, including Team Burke, Virgil, I obviously can't name everyone.

"When people ask me why I do what I do, it's for these kids (his son Carter and daughter Avery), and my wife, Bri. I love what I do, it's just a labour of love."

The 41-year-old Page first drove in 2000, but his driving career started taking off in 2006 when he had 750 starts. He was last the Scioto driver of the meet in 2021.

"Ohio's back, it's been back," Page said. "We're getting the best stallions and horses are reaching outside of the state and winning big races."

The 2026 Eldorado Scioto Downs race meet will start in May and end after 91 race days in September. The south Columbus oval will then host the Breeders Crown in October.

"We are excited for next year's season," said Jason Roth, Scioto's Director of Racing. "We're working closely with the Hambletonian Society for the Breeders Crown but also have big plans for the regular meet, including hosting the Ohio Sires Stakes Championships.

"Improvements to the backside, including a viewing stand near the paddock and a new horsemen's entrance off Parsons Avenue will begin shortly after closing night."

(Scioto Downs & Standardbred Canada)