The curtain closed on the 2022 Buckeye Stallion Series with the consolations on Sunday night (Oct. 23) at MGM Northfield Park. In addition to the eight $25,000 divisional consolations, four $10,000 consolation II races were held.
The night opened with a dominant performance by Mission Valley in the two-year-old filly trot. The 1-9 favourite with trainer Ronnie Gillespie driving grabbed the lead heading up the backstretch and pulled away to win by 13 lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:56.3. The win was the ninth of the year for the Enterprise filly, who is owned by Susan Sickle. Mission Valley has earned $70,752 this year. Coupe Deville was second with Ilikeitinthedark third.
In the two-year-old filly pace, longshot Santa Fe Kat came from the back of the pack to break her maiden in 1:55.3. Santa Fe Kat was last in the seven-horse field at the half-mile pole when Mitchell Cushing went three-wide around the final turn and turned on the jets to win by a head. Trained by Jessica McCown, the Santa Fe Beachboy filly raised her earning to $23,290 for the owners Country Club Acres, Winfield Brothers LLC and L&H Management Services. Favourite Miss Maddie P was second with Santastic Cruiser third.
Chris Page took 3-5 favourite Stumpy to the lead off the gate and never looked back to win the two-year-old colt trot. The son of What The Hill held off a hard-charging Jogging Full Trot at the wire to win by a head in 1:59.2. Owned and trained by Allen Miller, Stumpy raised his earnings to $75,930. Eddie L finished third.
In the three-year-old filly pace, Ocean Music with Hunter Myers took the pocket trip and fired down the passing lane to catch favourite Bittrsweetsymphony and win by a head in a new lifetime mark of 1:52.4. The Racing Hill filly is trained by Christi Noble and owned by Sandra Burnett. Unraced as a two-year-old, Ocean Music picked up her fifth win of the year and has now earned $63,978. Bet On Loretta was third.
Wishing Itsme with Don Irvine Jr. went gate-to-wire to win the three-year-old filly pace consolation in 1:56.2. The daughter of Wishing Stone won for the seventh time this season and raised her earnings to $41,873. Rosy Weaver trains and co-owns Wishing Itsme with Heartland Acres. Queens Future was second and Miss Cowboy Star finished third.
Masculine Hill with Aaron Merriman also went gate-to-wire holding off a late charge from Rose Run Xander to win the three-year-old colt trot. The gelded son of What the Hill won by a neck in a new lifetime mark of 1:55.1. With his four win of the year, Masculine Hill raised his season earnings to $53,310 for trainer John Ryan Melsheimer and the Mel Rose Stable. Rose Run Xtreme finished third.
Page picked up his second Buckeye Stallion Series consolation win of the night as he drove Tan Man to victory in the two-year-old colt pace. The Downbytheseaside gelding went gate-to-wire winning by a length as he set a lifetime mark of 1:52.4 winning for the fifth time this year. Tan Man has earned $41,623 for Cory Deyermand, who trains and co-owns with William Hartt and Robert Mondillo. Primary Drive was second with Barely Mischievous finishing third.
In the three-year-old colt pace, the final Buckeye Stallion Series consolation of the night, Ryan Stahl and Universal were sixth at the three-quarter pole, but found some racing room inside and rallied down the passing lane to nip Willydoitagain at the wire in a new lifetime mark of 1:52.3. The win was the fifth of the year for the son of Downbytheseaside. Trained by Steve Carter and owned by Adam Friedland, Cass Gallagher and Peggy Carter, Universal has earned $47,810 this year. Rose Run Xplosion finished third.
Four consolation II events were also held on the card: Wicked Character won the two-year-old colt pace, Type A Personality won the three-year-old colt pace, Osceola Hanover won the three-year-old filly pace and Pappardelle won the three-year-old colt trot.
(Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)