Heavy favourites Bythemissal and Sea Silk did not disappoint as they rolled to victory to capture $300,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Championships Saturday night (Oct. 1) at Dayton Raceway.
A packed house saw the two 1-9 favourites turn in impressive performances as the team of Chris Page and Ron Burke claimed three titles on the chilly and windy night.
Bythemissal, coming off his victory in the Little Brown Jug, sat fourth through the first three-quarters before turning on the jets at the top of the stretch to draw away and win the three-year-old colt and gelding pacing crown.
Sling Shock with Brett Miller grabbed the early lead cutting fraction of :27, :55.3 and 1:23.2. Chris Page sat patiently with the son of Downbytheseaside before making his move into a stiff wind on the backstretch. Page took Bythemissal three-wide around the final turn grabbing the lead at the top of the stretch and drawing away to win by two lengths in 1:52.1. Terminator finished second with Rose Run Xiled third.
The win was the 11th in 13 starts for Bythemissal, who is trained by Ron Burke and owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Rich Lombardo Racing, and Weaver Bruscemi. Bythemissal raised his lifetime earnings to $988,525. He was bred by Stephen Dey.
In the sophomore pacing championship for fillies, Sea Silk grabbed the lead just past the quarter in :27.3 and never looked back.
Page and Sea Silk covered the half in :56 and faced a brief challenge from Prancing Queen going up the backstretch. As the field hit the three-quarter pole in 1:24.1, Sea Silk began to open up and cruised to victory in 1:52.4. Do It Like Bobbie was second with Twenty finishing third.
The win made Sea Silk a millionaire as she has now earned $1,007,000 in her 16 career victories. The daughter of Downbytheseaside is trained by Burke and owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Hatfield Stables. She was bred by Steiner Stock Farm.
The first of the three titles for Page and Burke came in the two-year-old filly pacing division when McSeaside rallied down the stretch to win by two lengths in 1:53.4.
Aaron Merriman took More The Merrier to the early lead and tried to race away from the field with fractions of :26.3, :54.2, and 1:22.4, opening up a seven-length lead. As More The Merrier was running out of steam, Page took McSeaside, the even-money favourite, three-wide around the final turn catching the leader mid-stretch. Cruise Alert was second in a photo with More The Merrier hanging on for third.
The Downbytheseaside filly claimed her second win of the year and raised her earnings to $220,114. McSeaside is owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Beasty LLC, J&T Silva Stables and Knox Services, and was bred by Andray Farm and Sergent Stables.
In the opening race of the night, world champion Rumble Strips grabbed the early lead and never looked back going gate to wire to win the two-year-old colt and gelding trot in a new track record.
Trained by Mike Pohlhamus, the 4-5 favourite with Kayne Kaufman driving, cut fractions of :28.3, :58.2, 1:27.3 on the way to a one-length victory in 1:56.1. The son of Long Tom shaved a second off the five-year-old record. Jet Hill finished second with A Real Legend getting up at the wire for third in a photo.
The win was the fourth of the year for Rumble Strips, who is owned by Constance Polhamus and Mary Beth Walters, and was bred by Franklin Equine. Rumble Strips raised his earnings to $276,135.
In the two-year-old colt and gelding trot, Rockmelikeyameanit and Brett Miller took the pocket trip shooting down the passing lane past the leader Act Fast to win in 1:53.2.
Act Fast with Page driving held the lead through the first three quarters with fractions of :27.3, :57 and 1:24. Act Fast turned for home with the lead, but could not hold on as Rockmelikeyameanit moved to the inside and drove to the line to claim victory. Surfside Beach finished second but was placed eighth when it was ruled he went inside the pylons entering the passing lane. Downrightdelicious was elevated to second with Racing Rampage third.
Trained by Christi Noble and owned by Dennis Owens, Norman Rae Racing and James Morris, the son of McArdle won for the second time this year and raised his earnings to $296,153. Rockmelikeyameanit was bred by GBW Breeding Farms.
In the three-year-old colt trot, Caviar Gold and Aaron Merriman went to the lead through the first three quarters in :27.3, :56.4 and 1:54.2 before Longshot and Chris Lems challenged around the final turn.
The two pulled away from the rest of the field and battled down the lane with Longshot taking control in deep stretch to win by a length in 1:54.2. Caviar Gold finished second with Rose Run Xtra third.
The win was the eighth of the year for the Long Tom gelding. Trained by Scott Cox and owned by Wayne Mast Jr. and Callam Racing, Longshot raised his lifetime earnings to $309,460. Longshot was bred by Perry Coblentz.
Also featured Saturday evening at Dayton, four Ohio Triple Crowns were there for the taking, but when the dust settled only Gabbys C Note and Rose Run Yolanda claimed the prize.
Gabbys C Note missed out on the Triple Crown last year as a two-year-old when she lost by a head in the Ohio Breeders Championship. This year after winning the Ohio Fair Stakes and the Ohio Breeders Championship, the daughter of Triumphant Caviar took no chances going gate-to-wire to win the Ohio Sires Stakes three-year-old filly trotting title and the Triple Crown.
Aaron Merriman took the 1-5 favourite to the lead with fractions of :28, :57 and 1:25.2 opening up a two-length lead after three-quarters. Turning for home, Criquette Hall and Chris Page set their sights on the leader, but Gabbys C Note fought off the challenge to win for the 10th time in 12 starts this year. Criquette Hall was second with Favorite Aunt finishing second.
In her career, Gabbys C Note has 15 wins in 19 starts and has finished outside the top two only once. With the win, she raised her lifetime earnings to $600,778. Gabbys C Note is co-owned by trainer Chris Beaver, breeder Johanna Beaver and Steve Zeehandelar.
Rose Run Yolanda claimed her Triple Crown in the two-year-old filly trot winning for the sixth time in a row.
Trevor Smith settled the 1-2 favourite into fourth place through the :28 first quarter. Heading to the half, Smith pulled the daughter of Triumphant Caviar and started her pursuit of the leader Global Girl. Global Girl held a half-length lead at three-quarters in 1:27.1, with Rose Run Yolanda bearing down. Rose Run Yolanda took control down the home stretch to win by a length in 1:57.1. Global Girl held on for second with Swinging Senorita third.
Owned by Greg Luther Racing and trained by Todd Luther, Rose Run Yolanda has won six of seven starts this year, finishing second in the other race. With the win, she has earned $290,528 this year. Rose Run Yolanda was bred by Rose Run Farm.
Racing Rampage and Fear Of Sports were unable to complete the task of winning the Triple Crown as Racing Rampage finished third in the two-year-old colt and gelding pace while Fear Of Sports was eighth in the two-year-old filly pace.
It was a record night for Dayton Raceway as wagering topped $1.2 million.
(OHHA)