Midnight Haze and Chris Lems took the fastest split of the re-scheduled $27,778 Buckeye Stallion Series event for two-year-old filly pacers in 1:52.3 at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Thursday, Sept. 3.

Leaving from post seven, Midnight Haze got away third as Our Grey Heart (Tyler Smith) hit the opening quarter in :28.1. Making the lead before the :56.2 half, Midnight Haze was on the engine through the 1:24.3 three-quarters and won by three lengths over Our Grey Heart; Tina Fire (Austin Hanners) was third.

Midnight Haze, by Dancin Yankee out of the Always A Virgin mare Mary Goodnight, is a homebred for Dr. Michael Latessa, Ashley Miller and trainer Edward Miller. The win was the third in five lifetime starts for the filly, who now has $39,562 earned. She paid $5 to win.

Gillette (Justin Irvine) led through splits of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:24.2 before winning the fourth split in 1:52.4 by three-quarters of a length over Ds Ava (Lems); Apple By The Sea (Luke Hanners) was third. Owned by trainer Garry Martin, B. Kleinberg Racing LLC, Lee Unkefer and Martin Holden, Gillette now has two wins in seven lifetime starts and $36,426 in earnings. The Lather Up filly out of the Dragon Again mare Babys In Black was bred by Sugar Valley Farm LLC and Johnny Smith. The win price was $6.60.

Sempre B Bella (Smith) won the first division in 1:53 after getting away sixth from post four as Ides Of April (Luke Hanners) put up fractions of :27.2 and :56.3. Pulling second over, Sempre B Bella followed Mbt The Tanks (Sam Widger), who challenged the leader through the 1:25.1 three-quarters. Sempre B Bella came three-wide around the last turn to make the lead by the top of the stretch and won by a half-length over a fast-closing Stormin Suds (Kayne Kauffman); Mbt The Tanks was third. Owned by trainer Steve Carter and Haley Carter, Sempre B Bella now has $23,500 earned in four lifetime starts with two wins. By Monte Miki out of the Art Major mare Bella Marta, Sempre B Bella was bred by Vincent Costa Jr. She paid $7.40 to win.

Sea Jazz was victorious in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:53.3 in the second split with Ronnie Gillespie in the bike for trainer Ryan Miller. Leading through fractions of :27.3, :58.1 and 1:25.1, Sea Jazz won by a length over pocket-sitter Cantcatchthelady (Widger); Poseformiki (Irvine) was third. Sea Jazz, by Downbytheseaside out of the Betting Line mare Jazzed, was bred by Marvin Troyer. Thursday’s win was the filly’s fourth in a row from eight starts; she now has $49,248 earned for owners Miller Racing Stable Inc., Chris Gilbert, Redracer LLC and Roger Miller Jeff Bankey. She returned $5.80.

Racing continues at Scioto on Friday and Saturday, each with a 16-race card starting at 5:25 p.m. There will be a special Labor Day card on Monday instead of the normal Tuesday card.

Next week, on Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12, Scioto will host the Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) Championships. Each division is scheduled for $400,000 USD, but if enough horses enter, the races will be split into a $100,000 USD Grey Championship to be held on Friday and $300,000 USD Scarlet Championship to be held on Saturday. Other Saturday festivities include an obstacle course bounce house for kids, t-shirt tosses and OHSS swag giveaway, photo booth located inside the north clubhouse entrance, tumbler cups when you buy a program, and a second-chance drawing for a $100 USD win wager. Saturday’s racing events will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2 with Jessica Otten hosting.

(Scioto Downs; photo of Midnight Haze winning on Sept. 3)