Six divisions of the Buckeye Stallion Series (BSS) for three-year-old pacing fillies highlighted the 15-race card Saturday night (May 27) at MGM Northfield Park.
Racing For Three and High Flyin Filly followed up their first-leg victories with wins in the second leg. Five of the six winners set or tied lifetime marks. Each division carried a purse of $20,000.
In the first division, Billy Davis Jr. took Racing For Three (pictured above) four-wide down the backstretch to grab the lead and pull away to win by two lengths in 1:52.1 for trainer AJ Carlo and owners Carlo Racing and CRG Stables. It was the Western Terror filly’s third win of the year in five starts. Honey Buzz was second with Bay City Babe third.
Angel Hill grabbed the lead around the final turn and drew away to win the second division by two lengths to earn her maiden victory in 1:52.1. Luke Ebersole trains, drives and co-owns the daughter of Racing Hill with Cody Sipe. Calgary finished second with No Fear Intended third.
Onederfulbeach with Aaron Merriman went gate-to-wire to win the third division by two lengths in the best BSS time of the night, 1:51.2. Owned and trained by Chris Beaver, the Beachtrea filly has hit the board in all six starts this year, winning two. Somwherunderheavn was second with Limestone Gem third.
In the fourth division, Apple Martini with Kurt Sugg took the pocket trip and rallied down the stretch to win by a head in 1:52. It was the first win in five starts for the daughter of Downbytheseaside. Miles Wollam trains and co-owns Apple Martini with Cool Cat Racing and Kara Bansberg. TK Dragonfly finished second with Yankee Nudge third.
In the feature division, five first-leg winners battle it out with High Flyin Filly and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. getting up at the wire to win by a neck in 1:52. Trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi, the Domethatagain filly has hit the board in 12 of 13 races this year, winning six. She was the only winner not to set a new lifetime mark. Beautiful Seaside was second with Sectionline Seaside third.
In the final division of the night, Aaron Merriman picked up his second BSS win of the night as he drove Santastic Cruiser to victory in 1:54, tying the filly’s lifetime mark. Brett Schwartz trains and co-owns the daughter of Yankee Cruiser with Racehorse Express and Steve Harrington. It was the first win in five starts this year for Santastic Cruiser. Touchin Base finished second with Caviart Leeloo third.
Waitforever N continued to assert herself as one of the top mares at MGM Northfield Park as she scored her second straight victory in the $20,000 Filly and Mare Open Pace on Saturday.
With Kat (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), A Delightful Act N (Hunter Myers) and Blue Ivy (Aaron Merriman) all leaving inside Waitforever N, driver Luke Ebersole decided to do his pacing later relegating her to the back through the first eighth of a mile.
Kat cleared rivals into the backstretch and led favourite A Delightful Act N to the quarter in :26.4.
Wrenn tapped on the breaks coming to the half and was able to work out a breather, getting there in :56.1. Creme Delight (Ryan Stahl), Diamondtequilashot (Elliott Deaton) and Waitforever N began to make their bids for the lead as the outer flow began applying pressure to the leader.
Heading to three-quarters, Wrenn stepped on the gas with Kat, with a host of pursuers now engaging the leader. Last week's winner Waitforever N tipped three-wide and started to pass foes at three-quarters in 1:24.1, and with an eighth of a mile to come, was on even terms with Kat.
Through the stretch, Waitforever N worked past Kat and was able to hold off a hard-charging A Delightful Act N, who finally shook free at the top of the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.4.
Owned by D Racing Stable, Donald MacRae and Kapildeo Singh, the New Zealand-bred pushed her earnings to $165,980.
The Pick-5 eluded gamblers on Saturday night with Paradise Rock L (Hank Le Van) and Peppermint Mocha (Ryan Stahl) scoring at big prices, causing a carryover of $3,616.84 into Sunday's Pick-5. The wager, which begins in Race 6, sports a low 14 per cent takeout and has a $1 minimum.
(With files from Ohio Harness Horsemen's Assocations and Northfield Park)