Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway hosted eight $114,286 divisions of the Buckeye Stallion Series Finals and four $357,143 Dayton Derby Grand Circuit races as part of a 14-race card on Saturday (Oct. 3).
Super Chapter (Dexter Dunn) highlighted the Dayton Derby winners with a record performance. The four-year-old son of Chapter Seven led gate to wire and won the Dayton Trotting Derby by one and three-quarters lengths in 1:50.2, setting a new track record and equaling the world record for four-year-old male trotters on a five-eighths mile track. The prior track record, 1:51.4, was set by Back Of The Neck in 2021. Super Chapter equaled Emoticon Legacy’s world record set at Eldorado Scioto Downs earlier this year on Sept. 12. Emoticon Legacy (Scott Zeron) and Lexus Kody (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rounded out the top three finishers. Super Chapter has hit the board in 31 of 34 career starts with 21 wins and $4,096,858 in earnings. The Marcus Melander trainee is owned by Jeffrey Snyder, Arthur Pronti, and Hanover Shoe Farms.
In the Dayton Distaff Derby Pace, Twin B Joe Fresh (Dunn) recorded her third straight Dayton Distaff Derby win, tripping the wire in 1:49.2. Rodeo Drive Deo (Yannick Gingras) finished one and three-quarters lengths back in second, and Unreasonable (Todd McCarthy) was third. The victory was the 40th lifetime win in 60 starts for the six-year-old Roll With Joe mare, increasing her earnings to $3,959,292. She is owned by trainer Chris Ryder, Dunn, Peter Trebotica, and Barry Spak.
Sitting in sixth place at the halfway mark and fourth at the three-quarter pole, Harrisburg Heist (Chris Page) rallied to score an upset victory after going off with 25-1 odds in the Dayton Pacing Derby. The four-year-old Downbytheseaside gelding won by three-quarters of a length, tripping the wire in 1:49.1. Best Chip (Joe Bongiorno) and Women Layer (Gingras) rounded out the top three finishers. Harrisburg Heist, the 2025 Ohio Sires Stakes champion in the sophomore colt pace division, is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Phillip Collura, and Weaver Bruscemi. He has 21 career wins in 45 starts, banking $1,281,859.
Warrawee Michelle, driven by trainer Ake Svanstedt, won the Dayton Oaks Derby Trot by four lengths in 1:52.2 with Yo Beth D (Trevor Smith) and R Dutchess (Tim Tetrick) rounding out the top three. The five-year-old Walner mare is owned by Ake Svanstedt Inc., Santandrea Inc., and Young Guns. She picked up her 12th win in 39 lifetime starts, increasing her earnings to $2,317,055.
Mockingbird As (Marvin Luna) highlighted the eight $114,286 Buckeye Stallion Series (BSS) champions, winning the three-year-old filly trot final in a lifetime-best 1:54.4 as a 50-1 longshot. The Guardian Angel As filly was in seventh place at the halfway mark, trailing leader Dream Of Charlotte (Braiden Rhoades) by six and a half lengths. Dream Of Charlotte continued to lead at the three-quarter pole as Mockingbird As moved up into fifth place, five lengths back. A late charge on the far outside down the final stretch spurred Mockingbird As to victory, one and a quarter lengths ahead of second-place Flirtin Tomi (Smith). No Approval Needed (Brett Miller) was third. Mockingbird As, who finished ninth in the BSS point standings to become the last horse to qualify for the sophomore filly trot final, is owned and trained by Anette Lorentzon. She paid $102.60 to win. The win was the third win in 17 career starts for Mockingbird As, increasing her earnings to $144,111.
Ima Beach Girl (Justin Irvine) rallied from fifth place at the three-quarter pole to win the Sophomore Filly Pace by a nose in 1:52.4. Bad Girl Up (Austin Hanners) led the field past the first three calls with fractions of :26.2, :55.3, and 1:23.3. Ima Beach Girl trailed the leader by three and a half lengths at the three-quarter mark before using a late charge to take the win. Bad Girl Up and Eyes Up (Cameron McCown) rounded out the top three. Ima Beach Girl is a Downbytheseaside filly trained by Sam Schillaci for owners Schillaci Stables, John Manning, and Sam Bova Racing. She has six wins in 27 career starts with earnings of $249,052.
In the Sophomore Colt Trot, Bitcoin King (Aaron Merriman) took the lead going to the three-quarter pole and pulled away to win by four lengths in a lifetime-best 1:53. Ready For Pictures (John DeLong) finished second followed by Time Has Come (Miller) in third. Bitcoin King is owned by trainer Chris Beaver and Part Time Stable. The son of Uncle Peter has eight career wins, including seven this season, to go with $287,530 in earnings from 26 starts.
Odds On Rpj (Luke Hanners) edged Odds On Sugar (Dexter Dunn) by a head at the line to win the Sophomore Colt Pace in 1:51.3. Ultimate Catch (Miller) was third. Odds On Rpj is a Downbytheseaside gelding trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. for owner Odds On Racing. He has seven career victories in 19 starts with earnings of $249,684.
Passing Gear, driven by trainer Kayne Kauffman, won the Freshman Colt Pace by a neck in a lifetime mark of 1:53. On Fire (Tyler Smith) and Declamation (Page) rounded out the top three. Passing Gear is a Downbytheseaside gelding owned by Redline Racing Stables, Redracer, David Van Dusen, and Daniel Schrock. He has five wins in eight seasonal starts, banking $123,625.
In the Freshman Colt Trot, Lou Armstrong (Anthony MacDonald) led gate to wire with fractions of :28.3, :59, and 1:27.4 en route to winning by a length in 1:56.1. Easter Bb (Page) was second followed by Senor Julio (Tr. Smith) in third. Lou Armstrong is a Cuatro De Julio gelding trained by Jason McGinnis for owner Thestable Lou Armstrong. He has hit the board in eight of 10 seasonal starts with six wins and $198,677 in earnings.
Lyons Cartier (Luna) won the Freshman Filly Pace by three and three-quarters lengths over Sempre B Bella (Ty. Smith) with Midnight Haze (Kurt Sugg) in third. The Downbytheseaside filly tripped the wire in a lifetime-best 1:52.3. She has hit the board in six of seven seasonal starts with three wins and $101,292 in earnings. She is trained by Erv Miller for owner Threelyonsracing.
Finally, in the Freshman Filly Trot, Rose Run Classy (Page) scored her third seasonal win in nine starts, increasing her earnings to $103,315. The Long Tom filly tripped the wire in a lifetime mark of 1:56.4, two lengths ahead of Been Thru Hill (Carson Conrad). Sweet Stevie (Sugg) was third. Rose Run Classy is owned by trainer Matthew Burkholder, Dark Horse Farm, and Enos Miller.
(OHHA)