Brett Miller took three divisions of the first leg of Buckeye Stallion Series for two-year-old colt pacers at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Friday, July 12. Each of the seven splits went for $27,397.
The oddest Miller driven winner was the trotting sired pacing colt, Believe In Tom. The duo snagged the fifth division in 1:53.2. Miller took the Long Tom colt straight to the front and never looked back, setting fractions of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:25.4. The gelding, bred and owned by Gerald Mijal, came home in :27.3 to win by four lengths over Dracos Strorm (Eric Goodell) and Johnny Smash (Austin Hanners). The Steve Novak trainee, out of the Believeinbruiser mare Believe In Waco, started his career a month ago at the Paulding fair, then went to the Marion fair before winning a qualifier at Scioto in 1:53.2.
“I liked him all winter, but being sired by a trotter, we did not stake him to the sire stakes,” said Novak. “But there’s always next year.”
Miller also drove the most striking looking horse when Extra Suds (pictured above) took the sixth division in 1:54.2. The pair got away second, but not content to sit, pulled by the :28 opening quarter. Setting the tempo from there on out, they got to the half in :58 and three-quarters in 1:26.4 before coming home in :27.3 to win by 3-3/4 lengths. Sky Dogg (Aaron Merriman) was second with Seaing Gray (Trevor Smith) finishing third. Trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. also leases the pinto colt by Lather Up who was purchased at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $45,000.
Odds On Valhalla was Miller’s first win of the night, taking the second division in 1:54.1. Fond Of Dancin (Smith) took the lead from post nine and set fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:25.4. Odds On Valhalla got away fourth and pulled first-up, winning by a half-length over Fortunesfool (Tyler Smith) while Fond of Dancin held on for third. Morgan trains the Yankee Cruiser colt for Odds On Racing and UFO 4.
JBmagic won the first division in 1:52.4 with Luke Hanners up. Trained by Tyler Bates, the gelding by Fear The Dragon took an early lead going to the :27.3 opening quarter, yielded to the 4-5 favourite Mr McDragon (Miller) as the field went to the :57.1 half and 1:25.3 three-quarters. Hanners popped the pocket with JBmagic coming out of the last turn to win by four lengths over Mr McDragon. Catch The Express (Ronnie Gillespie) was third. Robert Geist owns JBmagic, a $12,000 Blooded Horse Sale purchase, who prepped for the Stallion Series with a third and a win at two fairs before scoring a 1:56.4 win in a qualifier on July 1.
Butchershop Buck and Dan Noble led gate to wire to win the third division in 1:55.1 off fractions of :27.2, :57.4 and 1:26.3. The Onyx Dragon (Goodell) came from seventh to finish second and Go Jim Dandy (Tr. Smith) was third. Jeff Fought Racing and Brian Carsey own the Well Said gelding while Deborah Swartz trains. Butchershop Buck started his career with a third-place finish at the Circleville fair then came right to Scioto for a qualifier and a second in a "non-winners of one" event.
Overcoming a break in in the third quarter, Twin B High Tide persevered to win by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:53.2 for the mother/son, trainer/driver team of Alicia and Austin Hanners. Leaving from post five, Twin B High Tide went to the lead and tripped the beam in :29 and :58.2. Going towards the three-quarters, Johnny Up (Chris Lems) made the lead with a rush and was well in front with the timer reading 1:26.3. Into the last turn, Twin B High Tide made the break trying to reel the race leader in. The 1-5 favourite re-rallied to win over Johnny Up. Southern Rockfest (L. Hanners) was third. Twin B High Tide, a Downbytheseaside colt purchased for $20,000 at the Harrisburg yearling sale, is owned by Hanners Racing.
My First Fire took the seventh and last division in 1:53.2. Coming off the rail to sit in the two-hole, Jon I Love Dat (Kayne Kauffman) got to the quarter in :27.2. De Dragon (L. Hanners) pulled from third to take the lead going under the wire for the first time and hit the half in :56.4. Austin Hanners pulled My First Fire just before the 1:26 third quarter and won by a length and half over De Dragon while Rose Run Ajay (Miller) was third. Greg Luther Racing owns the colt by Catch The Fire who was a $35,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase. After winning his first two qualifiers, My First Fire broke his maiden on July 5 in 1:56.3.
Racing continues on Saturday, July 13 with Ohio Sires Stakes action. There will be three divisions of two-year-old colt pacers and two divisions of two-year-old filly pacers on the 16-race card.
(With files from Scioto Downs)