Ohio’s top 2023 pacers opened Ohio Sires Stakes action with wins on Saturday, May 4 at Miami Valley Gaming. Pepsi North America Cup eligible Clever Cody turned in a dominating performance to win his season debut, while Seaside Diva made it three wins in three seasonal starts.
In the first of two $89,041 divisions for colt pacers, it was all Clever Cody. Clever Cody and driver Aaron Merriman grabbed the lead with a :26.1 opening quarter and never looked back, cruising to victory in a new lifetime mark of 1:50.1.
Heading up the backstretch, Downbythedanceclub tried to pull next to the even-money favourite, but Clever Cody easily shook off the challenger.
Heading for home, The Panderosa colt widened his lead and cruised home to win by three lengths. Theheavyweightway finished second with Hundred Dollar Man third.
Clever Cody is owned by the Clever Cody Stable and trained by Dr. Ian Moore. He now sports a 7-1-2 summary from 11 lifetime starts with $460,330 in earnings.
Clever Cody's stablemate Stockade Seelster was set to make his four-year-old debut in the Pacey Mindlin "Pace Baby Pace" Memorial Invitational, but the two-time O'Brien Award winner was announced as a vet scratch from the $136,000 event.
Reduced to a field of six with two scratches, Carbine made every call a winning one for driver Austin Hanners, winning the invitational event in 1:49.1. Hellabalou (Chris Page) finished second, unable to capitalize on a pocket trip while Taurasi (Track Tetrick) closed to finish third, snapping that pacer's win streak at nine.
In the second $89,041 OHSS division for three-year-old colt pacers, Rose Run Zane with Austin Hanners went to the lead off the gate but gave way to Howaboutayankee and Tyler Smith at the quarter pole. Rose Run Zane quickly retook the lead and that is where the son of Racing Hill stayed the rest of the way.
The 1-9 favourite cruised to an easy two-length victory in a new lifetime mark of 1:50.4. Howaboutayankee finished second with Racing Rebel third.
Dan Venier trains Rose Run Zane, who won for the fifth time in seven seasonal starts. Rose Run Zane has earned $132,764 this year for owners John and Leann Saunders.
Jurassic Hattie made it look easy, winning the $136,986 filly trot.
Brett Miller raced Jurassic Hattie to the lead with a 27-second first quarter and never looked back. The Eric Nesselroad trainee was challenged heading up the backstretch. Butter N Syrup pulled alongside the leader’s wheel but that was the closest anyone would get. Jurassic Hattie opened up to easily win by six lengths in 1:54, tying the filly’s lifetime mark. Iam Independent finished second with Butter N Syrup third.
It was the third win in three seasonal starts for the daughter of Volstead. She has earned $116,438 this year for owner Jerry Welch.
In the $136,986 filly pace, Seaside Diva did not disappoint as the 2-5 favourite.
Off the gate, Bath Bomb and Trevor Smith raced to the lead from the eight-hole with an opening :26.1 first quarter. Seaside Diva and Chris Page were not content to sit back and went to the lead heading to the half. Around the final turn, the Downbytheseaside filly opened a length and a half lead, but could not shake pocket-sitter Bath Bomb. As the two charged to the finish line, Bath Bomb closed the gap but ran out of racetrack as Seaside Diva held on to win by a nose in 1:51, a new lifetime mark. Katies Up finished third.
Trained by Ron Burke, Seaside Diva has earned $116,438 this year for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Let It Ride Stables.
Royal Precedent and Trace Tetrick made favourites five-for-five in OHSS action winning the $136,986 colt and gelding trot.
Off the gate, Tetrick took the Creatine gelding to the lead with a :27.1 opening quarter. Around the final turn, Spaaaanzano went three-wide taking aim at the leader. The two battled down the stretch with Royal Precedent holding on to win by a neck in 1:54.1, a new lifetime mark. Smooth Talkin finished third.
It was the first win of the year for the Jodi Schillaci trainee. Owned by the Claude Gendreau Stable, Royal Precedent has hit the board in all three seasonal starts, earning $92,466 this year.
With the conclusion of racing at Miami Valley Gaming, action moves to Eldorado Scioto Downs. The first night of racing at Scioto Downs is May 9.
(with files from Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association)