In the midst of a grand slam on Friday (June 9) at Eldorado Scioto Downs, driver Dan Noble surpassed the 7,000 win plateau.
Win 6,999 came behind Dragons Revenge, trained by his wife Christi, in the second race, while win 7,000 came behind the Chris Short trainee Word Out in the third.
The 40-year-old driver from Xenia, Ohio made his first matinee start at the age of 13 and has now been behind the gate 38,974 times. Noble, the son of Sam “Chip” Noble III, got his first official win at his hometown fair, the Greene County Fair, behind Dr Elbon in 1999. The duo won by four lengths in 1:59.1 for his dad, who both owned and trained the eight-year-old gelding.
Noble was the 2011 dash winning driver, hit win 5,000 at Miami Valley on March 25, 2018 and surpassed $50 million in purses on Oct. 19, 2022. He shows no signs of slowing down as he has consistently had more than 2,000 driving starts per year since 2011 and is on par to do so again in 2023 with 1,020 in the first six months of the year.
The $30,000 Open Trot was featured on the Friday night card at Scioto, won by Smoking Jet in 1:52.3. The six-year-old gelded son of Triumphant Caviar is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and driver Chris Page. Smoking Jet now has two wins and two fourths in four starts at Scioto, with more than $84,000 in total earnings this year in just nine seasonal starts.
The $30,000 Falcon Almahurst Series final, for Buckeye Stallion Series-eligible fillies and mares who did not start in the first leg of the Ohio Sire Stakes, was won by Beautiful Seaside in 1:51.2. Melby Ober Jr. trains the Downbytheseaside filly, who now has five wins in nine starts this year and nearly $52,000 earned lifetime, for owner/breeder Matt Rowe.
Velocity Lady (Brady Galliers) took the Fillies & Mares Open II at Scioto in 1:51.1. Owned by Galliers Racing and Look Ahead Racing, the six-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight earned her third victory in eight starts this year and 17th victory in three seasons of racing. Velocity Lady now has her eye set on hitting $250,000 in lifetime earnings.
Three-year-old colt trotters were also back in Buckeye Stallion Series action on Friday. All five first-leg winners returned, but only Burtons Hill was able to find the winner’s circle in the $20,000 events.
Burtons Hill made it two-for-two in the BSS as Brett Miller grabbed the lead just past the quarter pole and never looked back, winning by a neck in 1:57.2. Virgil Morgan Jr. trains the son of What The Hill for owner Joyce McClelland. Burtons Hill has hit the board in all six starts this year, winning five. He raised his earnings this year to $53,750.
The first division of the night proved to be the fastest as Bidenurtime was the winner in 1:55. The 1-9 favourite, with Sandy Beatty, made his move on the backstretch and cruised to a three-length victory and earned a new lifetime mark in the process. Beatty trains the Creatine gelding for owners Roger Wallace and Larry Riffe. Unraced as a two-year-old, Bidenurtime now sports four wins in 11 starts with $63,445 earned.
KJ Alexander with Austin Hanners went gate-to-wire to win the second division of the night in a new lifetime mark of 1:56.3. The son of What The Hill is trained by Alicia Hanners and owned by Pamela Wagner and Scott Woogen. It was the second win in four starts for KJ Alexander, who has earned $22,500 this year.
Trevor Smith took Domovoy three-wide around the final turn and charged down the stretch to win by a length in 1:56.2, a new lifetime mark. The win was the second of the year for Domovoy, who has earned $22,850 this year. Chris Beaver trains and co-owns the Triumphant Caviar gelding with Sandra Burnett.
In the final division of the night, Till I Collapse AS made it look easy as he romped to an eight-length victory in 1:56. Till I Collapse AS, with Tony Hall, took control on the backstretch and pulled away for his third win in five starts this year. The son of Uncle Peter is trained by Anette Lorentzon and owned by ACL Stuteri AB. Till I Collapse AS has earned $31,500 this year.
The 90-day Scioto Downs live racing season goes through Saturday, Sept. 16. Racing is held each Tuesday and Wednesday with a 3:15 p.m. first post and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with a 5:50 p.m. first post.
(Scioto / OHHA)