Expectations were low for sophomore filly trotter Charlotte Elise in the third leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes. Despite drawing the rail, she went off as a 43-1 longshot. Even some of her connections were skeptical that a win was within reach.

“I didn’t think we’d get embarrassed in there, but I wasn’t really expecting to win either,” said the filly's new trainer, Micah Miller.

Setyoursightshigh, the 2025 Ohio Two-Year-Old Filly Trotter of the Year, was the betting favourite in the nine-horse field and led at the halfway mark with Charlotte Elise first-over and four lengths back in fourth place in her first Ohio Sires Stakes start stepping up from the Buckeye Stallion Series. But the longshot continued to close, shrinking the gap to just a length at the three-quarter pole and a nose entering the final stretch en route to winning by 1-3/4 lengths. Tyler Smith drove her to victory in a lifetime mark of 1:55.2.

“Tyler went first-up against Setyoursightshigh kind of early, but I thought Charlotte Elise deserved a shot to go and try and get her,” said co-owner Wayne Mast Jr. “I was a little worried, but she seems like she’s always closing for us. I was pretty confident in her, but I didn’t see her doing what she did. I was very happy with that.”

Mast Jr., of Dundee, Ohio, is one of several of Charlotte Elise’s connections from the Buckeye State. He co-owns her with Callam Racing of Chagrin Falls, the filly's former trainer Jeremy Miller of Dalton and Joseph Mast, also of Dundee. She was bred by Albert Miller of Fredericksburg and her trainer lives in Dalton. That third-leg victory at Eldorado Scioto Downs on June 18 proved to them that she could compete at the Sires Stakes level.

“I always thought she could possibly be a Sires Stakes horse, but I was just hoping she’d be a good Stallion Series horse,” said Micah Miller, who earned her first career training win.

Charlotte Elise did prove to be a decent Buckeye Stallion Series horse. Following an underwhelming freshman campaign highlighted by a pair of third-place finishes in five starts, the Long Tom filly out of Heres Jolene was entered in the first two legs of the 2026 Buckeye Stallion Series. She finished third both times — in the first leg at Northfield Park on May 3 and the second leg at Scioto Downs on June 4 — but her owners saw enough from her to enter her in the Sires Stakes level.

“If you go back and look at the couple thirds she had, we had a bad post position in one and the other one she was only beaten by half a length,” said Mast Jr. “We thought she was maturing and looked like she was heading in the right direction and we wanted to give her a shot in the Sires Stakes.”

Perhaps due to the filly’s relative lack of career success, she went off with the longest odds in the field in that race. But, in his mind, Mast Jr. gave her a much better chance to win.

“A couple minutes before they went to the gate, I looked up and thought I saw 10-1. I didn’t realize she was 43-1 until I heard the announcer say it over the loudspeaker,” he said. “I think she should’ve been 10-1 or 15-1. I didn’t quite see 43-1, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”

That confidence stemmed from the continual improvement he’s seen from her on the track. He said her final numbers from last year didn’t tell the whole story of her potential.

“We were pretty high on her last year. We had some bad luck with her health-wise and got stuck with some bad post positions, but we didn’t lose faith in her,” he said. “We had high hopes for her coming back and thought she would mature, and if we could get the health issues resolved, we thought she could be a really nice filly for us.”

With two wins and three thirds in six starts as a sophomore, Charlotte Elise may be realizing some of that potential. Her rookie trainer has certainly enjoyed working with her.

“She’s about as easy as you can get — she does whatever you want,” said Miller.

Charlotte Elise will be tested again on Saturday, July 4 as Scioto Downs hosts three $50,000 USD divisions of the fourth leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes for sophomore filly trotters. She drew the far outside post eight in the third division and is listed at 12-1 odds on the morning line, matching Lynn Range for the longest odds in the field. That division includes three other Stallion Series winners from prior legs — Faster Horses, Mooter Tooter and Rose Run Brooke — along with Setyoursightshigh.

Vernon Beachy trainee Rose Run Brooke (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) is the early 5-2 favourite. The In Range filly has hit the board four times in five seasonal starts with two wins and will leave from post four. Setyoursightshigh (Mike Wilder) is trained by Marcus Melander. Another In Range filly, she is the 7-2 second choice and will leave from post seven. 

With a tough draw and so many talented horses in the field, Mast Jr. knows Charlotte Elise and driver Chris Lems have their work cut out for them.

“There are some really nice fillies inside of us, so it’s going to take a lot of racing luck to win that race,” he said.

In the first division, Scott Cox trainee Fairytale Moni (Brett Miller) drew the rail and is the 9-5 morning line favourite. First-leg winner Godusa (Wilder) will leave from post four and is the 5-1 co-third choice with Joyofmylife As (Tony Hall) behind 9-2 second choice Topville Lady (Wrenn Jr.).

Lindy In My Dreams (Wilder) is the slight morning-line favourite at 2-1 in the second division. The Nancy Takter trainee will leave from post four. Chip Shot (Wrenn Jr.) drew the rail and is the 5-2 second choice.

Five of the six winners from prior legs of the OHSS for sophomore filly pacers are entered in Saturday’s fourth leg. The third of three $50,000 USD divisions features three of those horses — two-time winner Sassy By The Sea (Tyler Smith) as well as Laude Da (Chris Page) and Vanna By The River (Wrenn Jr.). Laude Da is the 2-1 favourite and will leave from post five.

Third-leg winner Rodeo Dancer (Miller) is the 8-5 favourite in the first division and drew post four. Laughing Two (Justin Irvine), also a winner in the third leg, is the 5-1 third choice in the second division behind 2-1 morning-line favourite Seaside Shuffle (Page) and 5-2 second choice Bad Girl Up (Wilder).

The six OHSS races are part of a $1.02 million USD, 16-race card at Scioto Downs on Saturday. The card also includes four $150,000 USD divisions of the Next Generation for two-year-olds. First-race post time is 5:25 p.m.

(With files from Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)