Trainer Chris Beaver harnessed three of the five Ohio Sires Stakes-winning two-year-old trotting colts on Tuesday night, July 12, at Northfield Park. The Delaware, Ohio-based conditioner also steered a 30-1 longshot to victory in the second leg of the OHSS series for freshman diagonally-gaited Standardbreds.
Beaver’s first victory of the night in OHSS tests came with the sturdy-built son of Triumphant Caviar, Buckeye Boss. The huge, muscle-rippled youngster trotted swiftly and confidently through panels of :28.4, :58.1 and 1:29, before trotting a final panel in :28 to prevail in a new track record clocking of 1:57 with Aaron Merriman at the lines. Curiously, the new record established by Buckeye Boss broke the previous record of 1:57.1 set by another Beaver trainee in 2015, Kanthaka.
Owned by breeder Marion Beachy, Beaver and Synerco Ventures, Buckeye Boss garnered his second triumph in OHSS competition. The colt had won leg one of this series on July 4 at Scioto Downs in 1:59, after winning his pari-mutuel debut on June 21 in 1:59.4.
“He was just on cruise control tonight,” Merriman revealed. “He’s like driving an aged horse.”
Buckeye Boss looks like an aged horse -— big and round in stature —- and his demeanor suggests the same as he stood calm and collected in the Northfield Park winner’s circle.
The youngster, who has $44,250 in earnings, is the fourth foal out of the Tom Ridge mare Frannies Ridge, and is a half-brother to $100,000 winners Kate Smith 3, 1:55.2 and Dunvegen 2, 1:56.3 -— both by the Ontario-based stallion Cornaro Dasolo.
Beaver then harnessed Always A Good Time to a 1:58.4 triumph later in the evening. This son of Triumphant Caviar notched his first OHSS victory, pushing his career earnings to $30,000 for the Ohio partnership of Beaver, Gallagher, Schwartz and Zeehandelar.
“This colt wasn’t always the fastest training down, but he was one of the grittiest we had,” Beaver stated. “He’s tough as nails.”
John Carver of Iowa bred Always A Good Time, who used a perfect pocket-sitting trip to pull of the victory. Better Believe (Mike Wilder) was second by a neck. Always A Good Time was a $12,000 yearling at the 2015 Ohio Selected Sale.
Beaver then steered the cantankerous Mythology to a 2:01.2, front-stepping victory at odds of 30-1 in his OHSS contest that saw six of the nine trotters break stride.
“He’s a tough horse to drive,” Beaver said. “He can be a real handful at times and I almost lost him through the turns. He’s a tough horse to keep on stride, but he does have ability.”
Beaver towered over the diminutive but powerfully-built son of Triumphant Caviar in the Northfield winner’s circle. The brown colt picked up his first paycheque for Beaver and co-owner and breeder Wilbur Lang of Jamestown, Ohio. Bellhaven (Aaron Merriman) and Cowboy Blue (Kurt Sugg) finished second and third -- the only other two horses to trot a flat mile in this race.
The youngster Hope Ima Victory got a wire-to-wire steer by Danny Noble to pick up his first OHSS win for owner Stephen Sexton of Xenia, Ohio. The son of Victory Sam is trained by Tony O’Sullivan and added the $20,000 winner’s share to his coffers, pushing his career earnings to $24,730 with his 1:58.2 triumph.
Hope Ima Victory is a full brother to the sensational Victory Sam (a 61-race winner of $667,187) as he’s the eighth foal out of the Overcomer mare Norse Comer. The well-built youngster nabbed his first career victory for these connections racing barefoot up-front over the Northfield half-miler. Bred by Betty & Red Shaw, Hope Ima Victory was a $15,000 yearling purchase at the 2015 Blooded Horse Sale.
In the final OHSS battle that was marred by breakers, Dejarover (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) was declared the victor after Winning Memories (Peter Wrenn) jumped it off at the wire in 2:00. The Dejarmbro colt got a near-perfect trip to notch the win, the first of his career for trainer Kelly O’Donnell and the Purple Haze Stable of Fairport, New York.
“He’s getting better all the time,” Wrenn, Jr., noted. “He’s a very steady colt.”
Winning Memories was placed third, while Goldfinger (Greg Grismore) was moved up to second. Bred by Michael Wilt of Missouri, Dejarover upped his career earnings to $23,200.
$2,609.14 Carryover Sparks $12,500 Guaranteed Pick-5 Total Pool Wednesday at Northfield Park
Northfield Park has announced the addition of a $12,500 Pick-5 total pool guarantee to its Wednesday, July 13 program.
Beginning in Race 3, the $12,500 Pick-5 guaranteed total pool includes a carryover of $2,609.14.
Northfield’s Pick 5, Pick 4 and the Pick 3s offer a reduced takeout rate of just 14 per cent.
Wednesday’s first-race post time is 6:00 p.m.
(with files from OSDF and Northfield Park)