Driver Chris Lems has had a lot to celebrate in 2025.
“It’s been a really good year,” he said.
Lems' 147 wins and more than $1.88 million in earnings thus far this year showcases his success on the track. But just as significant was a momentous occasion from his off-track life — marrying Tessa Koran, who marked a milestone of her own last month. Koran, who recently got her trainer’s license after making a name for herself as a top caretaker, scored her first training win on May 10 with Desert Hayz at MGM Northfield Park. Lems, her fiancé at the time, was in the sulky.
“Tessa does an excellent job caring for the horses and was very excited to get her trainer’s license,” said Lems. “To be able to get a win early on with one of our own horses was special.”
A regular in the Northfield Park driving colony since 2017, Lems is well on his way to a fourth straight year surpassing the $3 million mark in earnings and will be among the headliners as Eldorado Scioto Downs hosts the second leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series (BSS) for sophomore fillies on Thursday and Friday (June 19 and 20). Four divisions featuring 40 three-year-old filly trotters will take to the track on Thursday followed by five divisions containing 42 three-year-old filly pacers on Friday. A total of $180,000 USD is on the line, with each division carrying a purse of $20,000 USD.
Eight of the nine divisions will feature winners from the first leg of the BSS at Northfield on May 18 and 20. Lems is set to drive two of those winners in Matthew Burkholder trotter stablemates Sweet Rose and Up as they look to go two-for-two.
“I’ve driven both of them quite a bit. They’re both super nice fillies that do everything right,” said Lems. “Matt has done a great job training them. They’re both absolute sweethearts to drive. They are very versatile — you can race them any way you want.”
Burkholder is looking forward to seeing how Sweet Rose and Up fare with Lems in the sulky this week, as he did not drive either of them in their opening-leg wins.
“Chris Lems is a good friend and a great driver, and Up and Sweet Rose are both very nice fillies,” said Burkholder. “Up raced well last time out and Sweet Rose has been nothing but a pleasure — she tries hard and she’s very smart in the races and doesn’t get stirred up.”
Sweet Rose enters as the 3-1 morning line favourite in the first division and will leave from post five next to 7-2 second choice Freedom Hill in post four. Sweet Rose has won all three of her starts in 2025, including her victory in the opening leg of the BSS with Aaron Merriman in 1:59.1. The Marseille filly owns a lifetime mark of 1:57.4 and has six wins in 11 lifetime starts with $68,678 in earnings. She is owned by Lori Blodgett.
“I like Sweet Rose a lot. She was a nice filly last year and she has definitely matured a lot,” said Lems. “There hasn’t been one time this year that I’ve driven her that she raced badly. She’s put in a very good effort in every start so far this year.”
At 9-2, Up and Spiritual Faith share the same morning line odds for second choice behind 5-2 favourite Aunt Lilly in the second division. Aunt Lilly has two wins in six starts this year and posted a second-place finish in the opening leg of the BSS. Kayne Kauffman is scheduled to drive the Jason McGinnis trainee, who has hit the board in 12 of 16 lifetime starts with $248,417 in earnings. The Uncle Peter filly has a lifetime mark of 1:54.1 and is owned by Thestable Aunt Lilly Group and Hutchison Harness. Up has two wins in five seasonal starts, including the victory in the opening leg of the BSS in 2:00 with Tyler Angus in the sulky. The filly by Uncle Peter has a lifetime mark of 1:56.4 with earnings of $138,764 and is owned by Dark Horse Farm.
“Up has been a little inconsistent for some reason, but hopefully I can get her in a good spot,” said Lems. “If I can get her in a good spot early in the race, I think she can stay right with Aunt Lilly.”
Lems is also set to drive 4-1 second choice Blueberry Poptart looking for an upset win for trainer Scott Cox in the fourth division with opening-leg winner and 9-5 favourite Pelican Hanover. Kurt Sugg will drive Pelican Hanover for trainer Miles Wollam. The Uncle Peter filly has hit the board in three of four starts this season, posting two wins and recording a lifetime mark of 1:54.3 at Scioto Downs on June 3. She is owned by Cool Cat Racing and Bob Troyer and has lifetime earnings of $52,657. Pelican Hanover will leave from post six alongside Blueberry Poptart in five.
“I drove Blueberry Poptart a couple times early in the year and it sounds like she’s been racing great,” said Lems. “She should be fine as long as she minds her manners.”
First-leg winner In The End is the even-money morning line favourite in the third division with 4-1 second choice Long Armof Justice. Dan Noble is pegged to drive In The End, whose opening-leg win came by over two lengths in 1:58.2. Anette Lorentzon trains and owns the Lionhunter filly, who has three wins in four seasonal starts and $61,150 in lifetime earnings.
First-leg winner Wild As You is not entered in the second leg.
Highlighting the second leg for three-year-old filly pacers is a showdown between first-leg winners Bubblles Out and Pink Jammies. Bubblles Out enters as the 6-5 morning line favourite, and Pink Jammies and Lorna Dune share the same odds for second choice at 9-2. Bubblles Out will leave from post six next to Lorna Dune in five while Pink Jammies leaves from the rail. Chris Page is set to drive Bubblles Out for trainer Trish Foulk after guiding the Downbytheseaside filly to a three-length win in the opening leg in 1:53.1. Bubblles Out has five wins in eight starts this season. She owns a lifetime mark of 1:50.4 with $59,092 in earnings and is owned by Foulk Stables. Justin Irvine will drive Pink Jammies after guiding the Fear The Dragon filly to victory by a neck in a lifetime best 1:56.1 in the opening leg. Pink Jammies has hit the board in all four starts this season, including two wins, and has $144,502 in lifetime earnings. She is owned by Heartland Acres and trainer Rosy Weaver.
The first division opens Friday’s card with first-leg winner Four Carat Rock as the 3-2 morning line favourite ahead of 3-1 second choice Racin Like A Star. Noble drove Four Carat Rock to the win in the opening leg in 1:55.4 and will once again be in the sulky for trainer Ben Davis. The Rockin Amadeus filly has hit the board in five of seven seasonal starts with two wins and has $71,718 in lifetime earnings. She has a lifetime mark of 1:53.1 and is owned by Brent Hopper, James Davis and Kyle Gray.
In the third division, Burning Sole is the 2-1 favourite leaving from post six next to 3-1 second choice Romeos Juliet in five. Noble is scheduled to drive Burning Sole for trainer Dan O’Mara. The Catch The Fire filly has hit the board twice in five seasonal starts, posting two second-place finishes for owner Marjorie Polhamus. First-leg winner Maddies Delite is the 7-2 third choice. Merriman is pegged to drive the Lather Up filly after guiding her to the win in the opening leg in 1:54. Maddies Delite has hit the board in 17 of 20 lifetime starts with 14 wins and $142,676 in earnings. She has a lifetime mark of 1:53.4 and is owned by SCP Stable.
Survivin Fire is the 8-5 morning line favourite in the fourth division with first-leg winner Euphoria Rising as the 5-2 second choice. They will leave side by side from post three and two, respectively. Driven by Noble for trainer Michael Hitchcock, Survivin Fire has hit the board in six of eight starts this season, posting three victories. The Catch The Fire filly has six lifetime wins and $64,358 in earnings with a lifetime mark of 1:54.3. Euphoria Rising is looking to repeat after Brett Miller guided her to a win in the opening leg in 1:54.2. Miller is set to be in the sulky again for trainer Steve Carter. Euphoria Rising has hit the board in six of 10 seasonal starts, including three wins. The Domethatagain filly has $44,164 in lifetime earnings and owns a lifetime mark of 1:53. She is owned by Brent Hopper, Kenneth York, Michael Gray and Kyle Gray.
There are no opening-leg winners in the fifth division. Rylee Too is the 2-1 morning line favourite with Anna Loves Bananas leaving from the rail as the 4-1 second choice. Page is slated to drive Rylee Too, who has hit the board in three of four starts this season, posting one win. Trained by Carter, the Lather Up filly has a lifetime mark of 1:52.2 with $23,225 in earnings and is owned by SCP Stable. Lems will be in the sulky for Seven Sisters, who shares 6-1 odds with Sectionline Flame as the fourth choice.
“Seven Sisters is a nice filly to drive,” said Lems. “She gets better with every start and I expect her to be in contention.”
First-leg winner Guard The Fire is not entered in the second leg.
Thursday’s Buckeye Stallion Series races at Scioto Downs are part of a 16-race card that also features the $30,000 USD final of the Jerry Knappenberger Pace mini series. First race post time is 4 p.m. Friday’s BSS races are part of a 16-race card beginning at 5:45 p.m.
(Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)