Trainer-driver Ronnie Gillespie couldn’t have asked for a better start for Big Ranger.
“He’s making a name for himself right now,” Gillespie said.
He certainly is. The two-year-old In Range colt is two-for-two with wins in the $202,703 Next Generation on July 5 and the $68,493 first leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes on July 12, both at Eldorado Scioto Downs, giving him $135,598 in earnings.
“We purchased him at the Jug Sale for $25,000 USD. He was easy to break but was a little laid back and on the lazy side, so I didn’t think much of him at first. But he started showing a lot of class, and the rest is history,” Gillespie said. “It wasn’t my intention to put him in the Next Generation. But it looks like it was the right move.”
Indeed it was. Big Ranger set a new stakes and track record in the Next Generation, winning in 1:54 to give Gillespie his second straight Next Gen victory in the two-year-old colt trot division as trainer and driver.
“I had a real good idea that he was going to be good,” Gillespie said. “I knew he could do [1:]55 pretty easy, but if I pushed him, I knew he could try 54. I thought I would have to try 54 or 53-and-change to win it, and he did that easy. He’s enjoying his work right now.”
With Gillespie back in the bike, Big Ranger is looking to stay perfect this season as MGM Northfield Park hosts three $50,000 USD divisions of the second leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes for freshman colt trotters on Wednesday, July 23.
Big Ranger is the early 8-5 favourite in the second division. That favoured status is well earned, as the encore for his record-breaking performance in the Next Generation was posting the fastest time (1:54.4) among the four division winners in the opening leg of the OHSS. Wednesday will be his first start at a track other than Scioto, but Gillespie believes the colt will fare well at Northfield.
“I think he’ll like Northfield because that track is banked, so I think that’ll help, and we’ve trained him on a half-mile track,” he said.
Gillespie’s biggest concern is getting off to a good start leaving from post four. After leaving from the desired rail position in the Next Generation, Big Ranger reacted differently when starting from post five in the first leg of the OHSS. If the colt can overcome those pre-race jitters, Gillespie likes his chances of coming out on top.
“In his second start, he didn’t like going up between two horses. He was a little shaky about that, so we’re working with him and trying to get his mind oaky with that,” Gillespie said. “If he goes behind the gate and makes the first turn with no problem, it’ll probably be over with. But I won’t push him. If he doesn’t make the front, that’ll be okay because he knows how to come from the back.”
Big Ranger isn’t the only one deserving of the spotlight, however, as Gillespie himself is approaching some impressive career milestones. Now in his 29th season as a driver, the 53-year-old resident of Macon, Mississippi, entered Tuesday (July 22) with 994 wins and earnings of $4,972,742. The 1,000-win and $5 million benchmarks aren’t far off.
“Most of the top drivers drive more in a single year than I drive in two or three years, so for me to reach those milestones will mean a lot to me,” Gillespie said.
Gillespie also has 375 wins and more than $2 million in earnings to his credit in 27 seasons as a trainer.
Among Big Ranger’s challengers in the eight-horse field in the second division is 2-1 second choice Ready Russell, who will leave from post three. The son of Ready For Moni won the fourth division in the opening leg of the OHSS in 1:55 and is also two-for-two this season, adding a victory in 1:56.2 at Scioto on July 3. Dan Noble returns to the sulky for trainer Deborah Swartz after guiding Ready Russell to the OHSS win on July 12.
In other OHSS action on Wednesday, the third division features a matchup between first-leg winners Rose Run Banker (Chris Page) and Ur Ride Is Here (Brady Brown). Rose Run Banker is the even-money morning line favourite and will leave from post five, while Ur Ride Is Here will leave from post seven as the 4-1 second choice.
There are no first-leg winners in the first division, which is headlined by even-money morning line favourite Rose Run Boom (Brett Miller), who finished second to Rose Run Banker in the opening leg. Water Slide (Aaron Merriman), Bitcoin King (Tyler Smith) and Super Mind (Anthony MacDonald) share 6-1 odds as co-second choices in the division. In the first leg, Water Slide was the runner-up to Ur Ride Is Here while Bitcoin King posted a third-place finish in his division.
Four Freshman Filly Pacers Looking To Repeat
MGM Northfield Park is also hosting six $20,000 USD divisions of the second leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for freshman filly pacers on Wednesday.
Winners of four of the five divisions of the first leg at Northfield on July 14 are entered in the second leg, as Beach Babe Hanover, Madetorockette, Jamie Amanda, and Eyes Up will be looking to repeat.
Beach Babe Hanover (Chris Lems) and Madetorockette (Brett Miller) are in the second division. Beach Babe Hanover is the 9-5 morning line favourite and will leave from the rail. Seaside Angel (Chris Page) is the 2-1 second choice while Madetorockette has 7-2 odds as the third choice.
Jamie Amanda (Tyler Smith) is the early even-money favourite in the fourth division and will leave from post three. Lil Keisha (Page), the 5-2 second choice, will leave from the rail.
In the fifth division, Eyes Up (Dan Noble) will leave from post two as the 6-5 morning line favourite. Leaving from the rail, Wishing For Gold (Ronnie Gillespie) is the 5-1 second choice.
There are no first-leg winners entered in the first, third, and sixth divisions. Opening-leg winner Seaside Charm is not entered in the second leg.
First-race post time is 6 p.m.
(Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association)