Southwind Pepino tied the all-time trotting track record of 1:52.2 at Scioto Downs on Friday night in the $25,000 Open Trot.
He now shares this record with the late Modern Family and Unefoisdanmavie.
Southwind Pepino is six-year-old son of Chocolatier out of Southwind Pamona. He's trained, driven and partially owned by Hugh "Sandy" Beatty of Orient, Ohio and Robert Sharrits of Columbus Grove, Ohio.
He started from post four in the scratched down field of seven and was the 8-5 betting favourite.
Somebody As had post seven with Jason Brewer at the lines and they wasted no time driving out for command. Its Complicated and Josh Sutton had post eight and was the 5-2 second choice. They tried to follow suit, but went off stride before the quarter that was trotted in 27 seconds.
Southwind Pepino and Beatty settled in third behind Fusion Man and Dan Noble, but they didn't sit for very long. Beatty pulled the right line before the half way mark and started his first over bid. The half was trotted in a leisurely :56.
The pace definitely quickened going down the backside when Somebody As and Southwind Pepino went toe to toe and stride for stride and clocked the three-quarters in a hot 1:23.3. Fusion Man and Dan Noble were sitting right behind the action and were patiently waiting for the super stretch.
Southwind Pepino had his game face on and got the best of Somebody As by one and a quarter lengths. Somebody As was second and Fusion Man was third.
Track record holder Unefoisdanmavie captured the $25,000 Filly and Mare Open Trot in 1:54.1.
Slated as the 6-5 morning line favourite and going off at odds of 3-5, she didn't disappoint her backers.
She's a seven-year-old mare by Revenue S out of Peace To The World. She's conditioned by leading trainer Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Jack Piatt III.
Unefoisdanmavie was assigned post six in the field of six and leading Scioto Downs driver Chris Page had the lines.
Page gave the mare the green light as the wings folded and never looked back. They clocked fractions of :27, :56.4 and 1:25.4 while giving Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and Miss Panthers a perfect pocket trip. Unefoisdanmavie kicked two and a quarter lengths clear from a rallying Ajuama for Dan Noble and Miss Panthers held on for third.
(With files from Scioto Downs)