Popular veteran trainer Tom Brinkerhoff’s horses visited the winner’s circle after both of the Ohio Sires Stakes events for three-year-old pacers on Saturday night at Lebanon Raceway. One victory was expected, but the other quite unexpected.

Brinkerhoff’s first victory came when My Myster E went to the front for driver Dan Noble like a 1-5 choice should and never relinquished the lead. The son of Stand Forever scored by 2-3/4 lengths over Sectionline Road and My Last Chance. It was the first start of the season for the pacer after two winning qualifiers at Hawkinsville, Georgia. Rebecca Ewing bred and owns My Myster E.

Five races later Brinkerhoff was back in the winner’s circle after Outdoor Fever was placed first when Firetowers Stand was disqualified and placed from first to last for interfering with the 3-5 favourite Feelin Lika Winner, the champion freshman pacing male in Ohio last year.

Driver Brad Kramer sent Outdoor Fever to the lead in the opening quarter with Firetowers Stand in third and Feelin Lika Winner in fifth. Driver Kayne Kauffman moved Feelin Lika Winner past the quarter-pole, but Chris Page came out with Firetowers Stand, forcing Feelin Lika Winner three-wide.

Firetowers Stand paced rapidly to take control the of the race while Feelin Lika Winner was stranded on the outside and never really got back into the race. Outdoor Fever sat behind Firetowers Stand and made a valiant effort in the homestretch, but fell a head short at the wire. The time was 1:57.

The judges then placed Firetowers Stand behind Feelin Lika Winner, who had faded to finish last in the seven-horse field. When the others moved up, Phantom Flasher became the second-place finisher and Magic Casino was placed third.

Leonard Buckner, a longtime patron of the Brinkerhoff Stable, bred and owns Outdoor Fever, who broke his maiden in being placed first in the $30,000 event. He paid $27.20 to win.

In the first trotting division, Trottin On Over, the champion freshman trotting male in Ohio last year, had an easy job in rebuffing five rivals for trainer-driver Mark Headworth. He sent Trottin On Over to the front at the start of the race and scored by a neck over Happy Go Manny and Final Breath. The 3-5 favourite covered the mile in 2:02.1 in winning for Emil Konesky of Woodville, Ohio.

Heza Rube was the easiest sort of winner in the other trotting split of the Ohio Sires Stakes action. Driver Kurt Sugg let Howdhegothat set the tempo for three-quarters of a mile. Then Sugg simply spoke to his bay gelding and trotted right around the leader to win by 11-1/2 lengths in 1:59.2. Sammy Sammy Sammy nipped Howdhedothat for second. Heza Rube is trained by Marty Wollam for breeder and owner Bob Troyer of Middlefield.

(With files from Ohio State Racing Commission)