All four $27,397 divisions of the Buckeye Stallion Series were won by owners who also bred their two-year-old trotting fillies. Smalltime breeder Joyce McClelland took half of the events held on Tuesday, July 16 at Eldorado Scioto Downs when her horses Travel Nurse and Aunt Laura lowered their lifetime marks to sub-2:00.
Travel Nurse was the first of McClelland’s winners when she took the second division in 1:59.2 with Brett Miller driving. The duo got away seventh from the eight hole and was parked while Dublins Martini (Ronnie Gillespie), who was also parked, took the lead just at the :29.4 quarter from Chica Lounge (Trevor Smith). Miller was able to wrestle Travel Nurse into the four hole after Rose Of Sharon made a miscue heading to the three-eighths. Tom Power (Dan Noble) pulled first up by the 1:00.4 half and battled with Dublins Martini towards the 1:30.2 third quarter. Travel Nurse made a swift three-wide move to go around the pair and by the time the field straightened out in the stretch, was in the lead. Iwillmakeuproud AS (Tyler Smith) got up for second just a length and a half behind the leader, with Tom Power holding on for third. The daughter of Enterprise out of the Andover Hall mare Poster Pin Up won her first two qualifiers before being a starter in the Next Generation.
Aunt Laura and Chris Page took the last division in 1:59.2. The duo protected their inside position while Annie L (Hank LeVan) was parked from post eight and Bye Bye Girl (Terry Hall) was three-wide through the first turn from post nine. Once the dust settled at the :30.3 quarter, Page had Aunt Laura out and moving and the 1-2 favourite reached the top by the 1:00.2 half. Annie L pulled from the three hole and pressured the leader at the 1:30 third-quarter, but Aunt Laura won by a length and a half under a hand drive; Annie L was second and after a photo for third between four horses, Jurassic Jewel (Miller) was victorious in getting the show dough. Aunt Laura, by Uncle Peter out of the SJs Photo mare Tori Ann, won her second qualifier at Scioto before finishing second in a non-winners of one event on July 2.
Both Travel Nurse and Aunt Laura are trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. and were co-bred by Richard McClelland.
Owner/breeder/trainer/driver Daren Harvey had Countonluna (pictured above) on cruise control to win the first division in 1:58.3. The pair got away third along the rail but pulled mid-way through the first turn and made the top by the :29.1 opening quarter. They hit the half in 59.1 when Jersey Janet (Ty. Smith) attacked midway down the backside heading to the 1:28.4. Countonluna, the 3-5 favourite, opened up to win by six lengths over Jersey Janet and Curious Hill (Kayne Kauffman) who was third. The winner, by Full Count out of the SJs Caviar mare DJs Caviar, is now a perfect two-for-two after winning a non-winners of one event on July 10 at Northfield park in 2:01.
In The End took the third split for owner/breeder trainer Anette Lorentzon in 2:00. Juu Dee Kaa (Austin Hanners) hit every pole first, tripping the beam in :30, 1:00.2 and 1:30.4. Tyler Smith pulled In The End second over at the half, following the cover of Countdown Queen (Kauffman). Going three-wide around the last turn, In The End won by a length over Juu Dee Kay, with Say Oui (Jeff Nisonger) finishing third. In The End is by Lionhunter out of the Enjoy Lavec mare Guilt Free and had three qualifiers under her belt before Tuesday’s start.
(Scioto Downs)