Surreal Ideal took advantage of some Open Pace competition being elsewhere on Saturday, June 7 to take the $35,616 event in 1:48, the fastest mile of the 2025 Eldorado Scioto Downs meet thus far.
Driver Luke Hanners tucked Surreal Ideal in fourth leaving from post four, as Martins Millions (Trevor Smith) shot off the car to the :25.3 opening quarter. Smith hit the half in :53 with most of the field pulling to the outside, starting with pocket-sitter Brookview Bullet (Sam Widger). After failing to advance in the outer flow, Surreal Ideal was forced four-wide by the 1:20.1 third quarter. Using the momentum off the turn, Surreal Ideal came home in :27 to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Martins Millions. Binge On Yankee (Ken Holliday) was third.
Surreal Ideal, a seven-year-old gelded son of So Surreal out of Jkmusicofthenite, is trained by Vernon Beachy and owned by Ohio's 518 Group and Gitup Racing. The win was his 31st in 110 lifetime starts and he now has $485,051 in earnings.
On Friday night, Refined also left from post four to settle in fourth on her way to victory in the $34,247 Open Handicap Trot in 1:51.2. The nine-year-old tied her lifetime best in her 49th victory from 143 starts. Trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. and owned by Ohios' JoyceA McClelland Stable and Larry Wills, the Uncle Peter-Reinvent mare now has $1,394,471 in lifetime earnings.
Through the first four weeks of racing action at Scioto, Morgan Jr. leads the way with 36 seasonal training victories. Ron Burke sits second with Steve Carter in third. On the driving side, Dan Noble still has the lead with 74 victories in 276 starts. Chris Page is sitting a close second with Brett Miller sitting in third.
Leading up to the 16-race card on Tuesday, June 10 is a 14-race qualifying card on Monday, June 9. Due to the increase in qualifiers -- the first nine of which are for two-year-olds -- first post is 11 a.m. As always, there will be free program pages available on the Scioto Downs website and qualifiers will be shown live on RTN.
(With files from Scioto Downs)