Godusa set a track record at Eldorado Scioto Downs Saturday, July 12 and became the fastest two-year-old trotter so far in 2025 as Ohio Sires Stakes action kicked off for the season for freshman colts and fillies with eight $68,493 divisions.
Getting away fourth from post three, Dan Noble positioned Godusa mid-pack as Rose Run Brooke (Luke Hanners) set the early fractions of :27.3 and :57.4. Coming out of the second turn and going down the backside, Godusa was first-up, and the two fillies started to put separation between them and the rest of the field after the 1:25.2 three-quarters. Coming down the stretch to the finish, Godusa stopped the clock in 1:53.3, a half-length ahead of Rose Run Brooke while Tomboy Strong (Anthony MacDonald) finished third. Godusa, a Ready For Moni filly out of the Trixton mare Behold The Dream, is trained by Nancy Takter and owned by E Five Racing and John Fielding.
A $48,611 Harrisburg purchase from breeder Carter Duer, Godusa redeemed herself after making a break as the race favourite while on the lead last week in the Next Generation, her career debut. Saturday’s mile shattered the previous track record of 1:55 set by Sugar Instead and Ronnie Gillespie in 2023.
Atlee Bender and Erv Miller teamed up to win two of the other filly divisions with Demonic Niko in 1:55.4 and Lucky Lady Volo in 1:56.2.
They first won with Demonic Niko, who powered away down the stretch to win her division by 5-1/4 lengths. Countrydiamondlady (Kayne Kauffman) took the early lead from post six but Princess Karolyn (Justin Irvine) was set to take over after the :28.1 opening quarter. Heading to the :58.1 half, Bender had Demonic Niko first-over and gaining on the leaders. By the 1:27 third station, Demonic Niko had a head in front, and she drew well clear of Countrydiamondlady, who finished second with Princess Karolyn holding on for third.
Sold as Cant Stop Missy, Demonic Niko was a $128,378 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Labelle Farms. By In Range and the first foal out of the Cantab Hall mare Cant Stop Marie, Demonic Niko now has two wins in three lifetime starts and a second place in the Next Generation for owners Ervin Miller Stable Inc., Anthony Lombardi, and Douglas Overhiser.
Lucky Lady Volo benefitted from a pocket trip to get up at 14-1 for the Bender/Miller team in 1:56.2. Toms Babe (Austin Hanners) set fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:26.4 on top. Coming into the last turn, Lucky Lady Volo popped the pocket and soared by her rival to win by three lengths over Sarahs Mission (Chris Page); Toms Babe finished third.
Lucky Lady Volo, by In Range out of the Yankee Glide mare Lady Gill Again, is owned by Ervin Miller Stable, Kentuckiana Racing Stable, and Overhiser. Kentuckiana Farms and Jorgen Jahre were the breeders. She is now one-for-three lifetime.
Speedbewithyou took her OHSS division in front-stepping fashion in 1:55.1. Getting away from post five, Speedbewithyou (Au. Hanners) took a brief lead going into the first turn and let Mooter Tooter (Page) make the front before pulling immediately for the re-take after the :28.1 quarter. After leading through the :57.2 half and 1:26.2 three-quarters, Speedbewithyou held off a fast-closing bid by Guardian Doll (Ronnie Gillespie), who finished second by smallest of noses; Mooter Tooter was third.
Todd Luther trains Speedbewithyou, a Mission Accepted-Instinct filly, who is now one-for-two for Greg Luther Racing LLC and owner/breeder David Wills.
The first colt winner of the evening was Big Ranger, who made a few missteps before the start but recovered big to win by five lengths in 1:54.4 for trainer/driver Gillespie. Special Moni (Tyler Smith) set the early fractions of :28.2 and :57.4 while Big Ranger got away fifth after the early miscue. Coming first-up towards the 1:26.1 three-quarters, Big Ranger put away the field by the top of the stretch, coming home in :27.4 to win for owner Madison Global. Cash Money Hall (Kauffman) finished second with Emerald Tom (MacDonald) third.
A $33,784 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale buy bred by Spring Haven Farm, Big Ranger is the first foal out of the Tactical Landing mare Big Blue Bird. The In Range colt is a perfect two-for-two after winning the $202,703 Next Generation last Saturday.
Rose Run Banker flew down the stretch to win the second male division in 1:56.1. Rose Run Banker got away seventh from post eight for Page as Rose Run Boom (Brett Miller) took the early lead in a :29 opening quarter. Not content to sit in the pocket, Chris Lems pulled Grape Crush to lead through the :58.2 half and 1:27.3 three-quarters. Rose Run Banker was sitting second-over, came three-wide around the last turn, and slingshotted down the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length over Rose Run Boom and Grape Crush.
By In Range out of the Conway Hall mare Hot Chili Girl, Rose Run Banker was a $94,595 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Rose Run Farm. Ron Burke trains the colt for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Hatfield Stables, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, and Knox Services Inc. After finishing third in last week’s Next Generation, Rose Run Banker is one-for-two lifetime.
Ur Ride Is Here (Brady Brown) set easy fractions and won his debut at 9/1 in 1:59 to take his division of Ohio Sires Stakes action. Leaving from post five, Ur Ride Is Here got to the quarter in :30.1 and half in 1:01.3. Heading towards the 1:30 third station, he was pressured by the 1-5 favourite Super Mind (MacDonald), but he had enough to rebuff that rival and win by a length over Water Slide (Aaron Merriman), who got up for second while Pump Action (Irvine) got the pocket trip to be third.
Ur Ride Is Here is trained by Steve Schoeffel for owners Kathy Schoeffel, Daniel Goehle, and Jim Reuther. The Ready For Moni colt is out of the Muscle Massive mare My Way The Highway and was a $21,622 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Midland Acres.
Ready Russell (Noble) was the last OHSS winner Saturday in 1:55. He got away fifth from post six while Max The Mighty (Merriman) set the tone up front, posting fractions of :28 and :57.2. By the 1:25.3 three-quarters, Ready Russell had pulled even with Max The Mighty and drove clear to win by three lengths; Bitcoin King (Smith) was third.
Deb Swartz trains the winning Ready For Moni gelding for Jeff Fought Racing, Brian Carsey, and David Fought. Out of the Cantab Hall mare Fortheloveoflindy, Ready Russell was a $50,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase and is now two-for-two after winning a non-winners of one event at Scioto on July 3.
In addition to his OHSS win with Rose Run Banker, Burke swept the Open events on the card for a training triple. His Racing Rebel ($4.60) won the $35,616 Horses and Geldings Open Pace in 1:48.4 by 1-1/4 lengths with Page driving, followed by Artatac A (Tyler Smith) in second and Surreal Ideal (Brett Miller) third. The four-year-old Racing Hill-Awakening stallion is now five-for-10 this season for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Page, and Marjorie Polhamus.
The Burke-trained Wicked Character ($5.60), driven by Merriman, won the $27,397 Horses and Geldings Open II Pace by three-quarters of a length in 1:48.2 for owners Winterwood Farm, Tim Sullivan, Robert Jackson, and Tom Wilson. Leaving A Legend (Page) closed for second over Lou Hill (Sam Widger). Burke's trio of wins moved him within three of leading trainer Virgil Morgan Jr., the winner of the last 30 titles in a row.
Godusa's performance continued a recent trend of record-breaking efforts at Scioto, becoming the fourth horse to beat or tie a track record in the last six racing days. On Friday, two track records were set, one for four-year-old trotting mares and the other for aged pacing mares.
Shadows Dancers won the Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace gate-to-wire in 1:48.2. Leaving from the rail, Tyler Smith rated her through fractions of :26.3, :54.4, and 1:21.2, and the mare came home in :27 to hold off pocket-sitter Always B Naughty (Austin Hanners). Racing for Three (Trevor Smith) was third. The victory was the Always B Miki-Dancing Shadows K mare’s 20th lifetime win in 86 starts, and the six-year-old now has $317,820 in lifetime earnings. Shadows Dancers is owned by Howard Taylor and Chris McGuire and trained by Christi Noble.
The previous track record of 1:48.4 for aged pacing mares was set twice in 2023 by Grace Hill (Tony Hall) and Chase You (Sam Widger), and again in 2024 by Do It Like Bobbi (Aaron Merriman).
Four races later, Jurassic Hattie won the non-winners of $16,500 last four event for trotters in 1:51.2, setting a new track record for four-year-old trotting mares. Leaving from post eight, Brett Miller took the Volstead-High Gear Sahbra mare straight to the front to lead through sectionals of :26.3, :55 and 1:22.2. Sayinwhatimthinkin (Trevor Smith) was a closing second with Sugar Instead (Sam Widger) finishing third. Jurassic Hattie is trained by Stacey Van Huizen and owned by breeder Jerry Welch. She now has 13 wins in 29 starts and $641,319 in lifetime earnings.
Pioneer As and Tony Hall previously held the track record for four-year-old trotting mares set back in 2023.
Last Saturday, Shacarri equalled the track record for two-year-old pacing fillies, winning her debut in 1:51.1. The performance put Shacarri tied for the fourth-fastest two-year-old so far this 2025 season.
Getting away third while Zooom Call (Noble) set fractions of :27.1 and :56, Shacarri pulled out going to the 1:24 three-quarters and won by 2-1/2 lengths under mild urging from Chris Page. Shacarri is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Phil Collura, and Zippett Racing Stable. Shacarri prepped for the record-setting mile by qualifying twice at The Meadows, once in 2:01.4 and once in 1:57.4. The $54,054 overnight event was for freshman filly pacers, with preference to Next Generation slot owners since that race did not have enough entries to fill.
Racing at Scioto Downs will resume on Tuesday, July 15 at 5:45 p.m.
(With files from Scioto Downs)