Night Surfer powered first-over and rode the wave to a five-length victory in the $193,944 Ohio Breeders Championship for two-year-old male pacers, highlighting the Jugette undercard on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at the Delaware County Fair.

Night Surfer sat fourth behind an early skirmish between Atlantic Ivey (Atlee Bender), Donttruckwithme (Mike Wilder) and Ocean Party (Chris Page), with Atlantic Ivey ahead at the quarter in :26.3 and Donttruckwithme moving to the top before a :54.3 half. Dexter Dunn put Night Surfer in play heading for the third turn, and the colt pushed to level terms with the leader at three-quarters in 1:24.3 before striding away to the 1:53.4 score over the track labelled "good." Donttruckwithme held second, followed by First Grade (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.).

Night Surfer bounced back from his first defeat in the Ohio Sires Stakes final on Sept. 12 with Wednesday's score, his fourth in five outings. Delaware’s leading trainer, Virgil Morgan Jr., conditions the son of Downbytheseaside-Dark Force for Let It Ride Stables Inc., Morrison Racing Stables, Steven Held and Alberg Racing. The win price was $3.

The Standardbred

The card also featured five divisions of The Standardbred for two-year-olds, with two splits for trotting fillies and one for each other group.

Dave Palone, the winningest driver in the history of harness racing, piloted Aestas ($3) to a 1:56.1 victory in the $70,423 filly pace. Love Somebody (Yannick Gingras) was second by a head, and Gold Impact (Mike Wilder) was third, beaten by two lengths. Steve LeBlanc trains the winning Papi Rob Hanover-Air Miles Hanover lass, now five-for-eight, for Glenn Dyke.

Hades Hanover ($11.40) and reinsman Brady Brown received the first call and kept their eight competitors at bay, winning the $74,789 division for colt trotters by a half-length in 2:01.1. Gaining Muscle (David Miller) closed for place over Keystone Augusta (Aaron Merriman). Kathy Schoeffel, Maxx Fortune Stable and Roger Romesser own the son of Greenshoe-Hespera Hanover, who is now two-for-11. Steve Schoeffel trains the gelding.

Pa Lincoln ($5.40) and Yannick Gingras had to work hard to get the lead, but when they did, they were able to control the fractions and win the $72,817 freshman pace in 1:56.4. The bettors' choice, Atomix Hanover (Anthony MacDonald), was 2-1/4 lengths behind the winner, with Slinky Dawg (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) third. The winning Sweet Lou-Captains Muse colt is owned by Kirk Nichols, Hutchison Harness LLC, Wayne Mast Jr. and Vincent Urciuoli. Delaware-based Brian Brown is the winning conditioner. Pa Lincoln has recorded three career wins in his seven starts.

Driver Jason Bartlett gave Sevenoops Hanover ($8.80) a first-over trip from the half-mile station and cruised to 1:58.4 win over the sloppy surface in the second $39,085 division for filly trotters. Shes A Home Run (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), the pacesetter, was second by 1-1/2 lengths, and Mrs Rattigan (Andy Miller) was another half-length behind in third. Petter Engblom trains the winning Greenshoe-Sevenopper filly for Engblom Farm LLC, Evans Nation and Hickory Hollow Stables. The win was Sevenoops Hanover's fourth in eight outings.

The first division was won in a gate-to-wire effort by The Captains Wife ($3) and driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in 2:01. The pocket-sitting Tactical Beauty (Andy Miller) was 1-3/4 lengths back in second, and Salt Water Taffy (Yannick Gingras) completed the triactor. The 518 Group LLC and Ryan Smith co-own the winning Captain Corey-Broadway Socks filly, who is now four-for-eight for trainer Vernon Beachy.

Buckeye Stallion Series

The Delaware County Fair also held three $28,169 divisions of the fifth leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for freshman colt and gelding pacers.

On Fire ($5.20) recorded the fastest mile of the three races, winning the first division in a lifetime-best 1:55.4. The Catch The Fire-Sugarcoated gelding led by 1-1/4 lengths at the halfway mark and stretched the advantage to 4-1/4 lengths at the wire for driver Tyler Smith. Im A Fire Truck (Atlee Bender) and Mental Up (Kurt Sugg) rounded out the top three. On Fire is trained by Micah Miller for owner Jeremy Miller.

Passing Gear ($2.40) scored his third BSS win of the season, taking the second division in 1:59.3 with trainer Kayne Kauffman in the sulky for owners Redline Racing Stables LLC, Redracer LLC, David Van Dusen and Daniel Schrock. The Downbytheseaside-My Hare Lady gelding led at every call en route to a four-length victory. Declamation (Chris Page) was second, followed by Crownasaurus (Jeff Nisonger) in third.

In the third division, trainer Mike Micallef drove Stateroom to his first career victory. The Downbytheseaside-Kilee Rocks gelding won in gate-to-wire fashion, crossing the finish line in 1:56.3. Ati Booze Cruisin (David Miller) was three-quarters of a length back in second followed by Livingood Hanover (Brett Miller) in third. Stateroom is owned by Bet The House LLC.

Trainer Ron Burke, who won both the elimination and final of the Jugette with Loua Dipa, also scored with Highest Honors in 1:57.3 in the Buckeye Claiming Series for a triple on the 21-race card.

The five-day Delaware County Fair meet concludes on Thursday with the 19-race Little Brown Jug card starting at 11 a.m.

(With files from the Little Brown Jug and Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)