Two-year-olds were in the spotlight during Eldorado Scioto Downs's Saturday night stakes action competing in $150,000 divisions of the Next Generation while the Ohio Sires Stakes featured three-year-old pacing colts in a pair of $55,000 races.
Magestic Seas kicked off the Next Generation, winning the two-year-old filly pace in 1:53.2.
The morning line favourite, who went off at 2-1, was expertly driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr. for trainer Brian Brown. They took their time to get to the lead during the :27.4 opening quarter then Wrenn backed the tempo down to the :57 half. The field started sprinting down the backside with Venice Blue Chip (Anthony MacDonald) going first-up and flushing Daisys Star (Tyler Smith) from the three-hole. By the time they hit the three-quarters in 1:24.4, the field was stacked four in, four out. In a tight finish, Magestic Seas held on to win by a neck over Seaside Diva (Chris Page), who fanned four-wide off the last turn. After going first-up, Daisys Star finished third with Venice Blue Chip fourth.
“The drivers have done a good job not overdriving these babies in these races,” said Brown. “I didn’t want her to do too much, so the third quarter in :27.4, I figured we would have to pace a big last quarter to fend them off and she didn’t have to, and Ronnie didn’t push her, so I think there was more left.
“I want to thank a couple people: Brevin Lupton her groom, Danny Jones her trainer and Preferred Equine for helping sponsor this race.”
The Downbytheseaside filly, bred by Andray Farm and Sergent Stables, sold at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $110,000. Magestic Seas, the fifth foal out of the mare Magestic Blue Chip by Rocknroll Hanover, is a half sister to $877,544 winner Hellabalou (by Sweet Lou). She is owned by County Club Acres, Kirk Nichols and Scott Dillon.
The winner paid $6.60 to win.
Freshman sire Volstead produced the top two finishers in the Next Generation for two-year-old filly trotters, led by Jurassic Hattie, who was a gate-to-wire winner in 1:56.2 with Brett Miller in the bike.
Going straight to the lead from the four-hole, Miller settled Jurassic Hattie on top to the :28.1 opening quarter. After a soft :31 second quarter, pocket-sitter Possibility (Aaron Merriman) sat in while Ronnie Gillespie pulled race favourite Sugar Instead at the 1:28.3 three-quarters. Jurassic Hattie finished the race under a hand drive to win by 3-3/4 lengths for trainer Eric Nesselroad. Sugar Instead was second with Possibility third.
“He [Nesselroad] handed the lines to me and said race her,” said Miller. “She felt really good and she felt like she was a really good gaited trotter. When I got that :31 second quarter, I felt pretty comfortable.”
Jerry Welch bred and owns the Volstead filly, who is the 10th foal out of the Striking Sahbra mare High Gear Sahbra.
Jurassic Hottie paid $8.60 to win.
Spaaaanzano took the Next Generation for two-year-old trotting colts with Aaron Merriman on board in 1:56.2, a new stakes record.
Spaaaanzano sprung off the gate from the seven-hole and made the early lead to the :28.3 opening quarter. Going to the :58.2 half, Merriman let the 9-5 favourite, Tennessee Tom (Chris Page), take the lead. After the 1:27.4 third quarter, Merriman pulled Spaaaanzano off the turn and duelled with Tennessee Tom, finishing a nose in front. Deville Hill (Dan Noble) came from the back of the pack to finish third.
Chris Beaver trains Spaaaanzano for co-owners Spaaaartners, Bill Manes and Leo Fleming.
“This horse is really really professional,” said Merriman. “I actually would rather have the outside with a young trotter than the one or two-hole on a five-eighth-mile track, especially the first couple of starts.
“I was high on my horse to be honest with you, he’s done everything right so far and he showed it today."
The Corraggioso gelding, bred by Timothy Stutzman, is the third foal out of the SJs Caviar mare Grace N Charlie and a full brother to $189,094 earner Panzano, who was also trained by Beaver during his Ohio campaign.
The winner paid $6.40.
Midwind Beach Boy was the only winner of the $150,000 Next Generation for two-year-olds that came from off the pace when he won the pacing colt division in 1:52.4.
Clever Cody (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) made the early lead but just at the :27 opening quarter Hundred Dollar Man (Montrell Teague) popped the pocket and took over going by the grandstand for the first time. The field went past the half-mile pole in :56.4 and about mid-way down the backside Nick Clegg pulled Janelle Granny to challenge the leaders. By the 1:25 third quarter, Janelle Granny pulled up alongside Hundred Dollar Man. Rolling up from the back was Midwind Beach Boy and Chris Page, going three-wide around the last turn. In another close finish, it was Midwind Beach Boy to win by a half-length for trainer Ron Burke. Janelle Granny was second with Hundred Dollar Man finishing third and Clever Cody fourth.
“Act Fast [2022 winner for Page/Burke] and 'Midwind' are polar opposites,” said Page. “Act Fast is a big good-looking horse and Midwind’s just a little small horse. He travels nice…we just gotta keep his head screwed on straight -- he’s still racing in an ear hood, a little bit warm -- but he’s got a high turn of speed.”
Midwind Beach Boy is by Downbytheseaside and sold at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for $25,000. Bred by Midwind Farm, the colt is owned by Burke Racing, Knox Services, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and RAS Racing. He is the first living foal out of American Major by American Ideal.
Midwind Beach Boy paid $13 to win.
In Ohio Sire Stakes action, Seafire continued to shine as he picked up his second win in in the state-bred program with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. aboard.
In the evening's first division for sophomore colt pacers, For Once Inmy Life (Brett Miller), a two-time winner in OHSS action, raced to the lead covering the half-mile in fractions of :25.4 and :52.4. As the field headed up the backstretch, Rockmelikeyameanit (Dan Noble) challenged for the lead with Seafire close behind. The two blew by the leader at the three-quarter pole in 1:20.1. As two hit the top of the stretch, Wrenn took Seafire wide to grab the lead. The son of Downbytheseaside fought off a late challenge down the lane from Burnout (Sam Widger), holding on to win by a head in 1:49.1. Rockmelikeyameanit finished third.
Unraced as a two-year-old, Seaside has hit the board in all nine starts this year, winning five. The Brian Brown trainee has earned $91,720 for the ownership group of Country Club Acres, Jocelyn Ridder, Mark Kantrowitz and Scott Davis.
In the second division, The Real Way with Chris Page collected his first win in the Ohio Sires Stakes. Also a son of Downbytheseaside, The Real Way had finished sixth and fifth in two previous OSS efforts.
Ants Marching (Brett Miller) took the early lead with a :26 first quarter but gave way to Dunkin (Nick Clegg), who lead at the half in :55.1. As the field moved towards three-quarters, The Real Way took command racing to the lead in 1:22.1. He opened a three-length margin over Liteningonthebeach (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) around the final turn. Heading for home, Liteningonthebeach made a move to close the gap but it was a little too late as The Real Way held on to win in a photo in 1:50.1. Dynamite Dylan (Aaron Merriman) finished third.
The win was the second in four starts for the Ron Burke trainee. Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Let It Ride Stables, The Real Way raised his earnings this year to $41,788.
(With files from Scioto Downs and Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association; Photos clockwise from top left of Magestic Seas, Jurassic Hattie, Midwind Beach Boy and Spaaaanzano)