Monte Be Good recorded the fastest mile of the four $28,168 divisions of the first leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for freshman colt pacers on Wednesday, July 15 at Northfield Park.

Driven by Dan Noble, Monte Be Good led gate to wire and won the evening's fourth division by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:56 to remain unbeaten in two career starts. The Monte Miki-Dancin Caroll gelding is trained by Cory Deyermand for owner Kapp Equine Estates of Youngstown, Ohio. Monte Be Good recorded fractions of :28.4, :58.4, and 1:27.4 en route to the victory. Crownasaurus (Kurt Sugg) and Eagle Spirit (Ronnie Gilliespie) rounded out the top three in the race.

Hear The Thunder, driven by Chris Lems, was a 1:56.2 winner by 1-1/2 lengths. The Robert Brooks trainee was on the lead at each quarter pole in :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27.2. He has now hit the board in all five of his starts with three wins and two thirds. Nonstopseaside (Justin Irvine) was second followed by Kb Moneyball (Ronnie Gillespie) in third. Hear The Thunder is a Catch The Fire-Kellys Kindness gelding owned by Ivy Holdings of Apple Creek, Ohio.

Another Catch The Fire gelding, Into The Blaze (dam Bazooka Terror), took his division in 1:56.4 to improve to two-for-two in his career. He was driven by his trainer, Ronnie Gillespie, who also shares ownership with Adam Friedland of Brooklyn, New York and Jacob Beard of Mansfield, Ohio. Pre Fire (John Ciocca Jr.) led the field past the first three calls in :28.1, :59.1 and 1:28.2. Into The Blaze was in the pocket trailing the leader by 1-1/4 lengths entering the final stretch before winning by three-quarters of a length with Pre Fire in second and Total Sum (Darren Dowler) in third. 

Making his debut purse start, Mental Up won the other division by two lengths in 1:57 with Kurt Sugg driving. The Lather Up-Sentimental gelding is trained by Mike Polhamus for owners Trojan Standard Bred of Troy, Ohio and Newberry Stable of Beavercreek, Ohio. Rose Run Champ (Chris Lems) led the way past the first three calls in :29, :59.3 and 1:28.1 and finished second but was placed third behind Seaside Saint (Dan Noble) due to a late break in stride. Mental Up sat two lengths behind the leader at the three-quarter pole before taking the win.

The Buckeye Stallion Series continues on Friday, July 17 with six divisions of the first leg for freshman filly pacers as part of a 16-race card at Eldorado Scioto Downs starting at 5:25 p.m.

(With files from Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association; photo of Monte Be Good winning on July 15)