Virgil Morgan Jr. continued his reign of the Open events at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Saturday, June 1 when Carbine took the $34,247 Open Pace in 1:50.1.
Leaving from the assigned post six, Austin Hanners took Carbine straight to the front and never looked back. Charlie May (Brett Miller) got the pocket trip through quarters of :27, :55.3 and 1:23.2, while Arbin (Luke Hanners) started the outer flow heading into the clubhouse turn. By the three-quarter pole, the compact field had three in and three out with less than four lengths covering the field. Powering through the stretch, Carbine won under a hand drive by 1-1/2 lengths over Stars Align A (Dan Noble). Arbin held on for third.
Carbine is owned by Odds On Racing and now has nine wins in 16 seasonal starts and 29 victories lifetime with earnings of $595,566. The six-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere has done double duty all spring, breeding 46 mares.
Morgan trainees Refined and Strong Poison also won this week's Open Trot and Fillies & Mares Open Pace on Friday.
Morgan now has 25 wins at the Scioto meet to lead all trainers. Ron Burke sits second with 17.
On the driving side, Jeremy Smith continues to have a stronghold as the meet’s leading driver with 44 wins. Chris Page is sitting second with 36 and Dan Noble is close behind in third with 35.
Wagering continues to hold a strong 29.59 per cent increase over 2023 numbers through the first 18 days of racing.
(With files from Scioto Downs; Photo of Carbine from a previous win)