Two What The Hill colts, with Chris Page up for trainer Ron Burke, won $68,493 splits of the Ohio Sires Stakes for two-year-old colt trotters on Thursday (July 25) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
Rose Run Alex won his race by a quarter length in 1:56.3 after getting away sixth from post five. Silverton (Hunter Myers) took the early lead from the outside post eight by the :27.4 quarter. After a couple early miscues from the competition, Scrappys Love (Aaron Merriman) pulled from third and made the lead going under the wire for the first time. Rose Run Alex was sitting fourth by the :57 half and pulled second over after the 1:26.3 third-quarter, then three-wide around the last turn. Scrappys Love was second with Power Hill (Austin Hanners) getting third. Out of the Kadabra mare Dabrina, Rose Run Alex was an Ohio Select Yearling Sale purchase for $60,000 from Rose Run Farm. Owned by Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Weaver Bruscemi and Knox Services, Rose Run Alex now has a second and a win in his two OHSS starts.
The other Burke winner was Hilltop Sonar (pictured above) in 1:55.1. Battle Hill (Chris Lems) battled Hilltop Sonar through the :28.1 quarter with Battle Hill making it to the front mid-way down the stretch for the first time. Heading into the second turn Hilltop Sonar was back out and moving, making the lead by the :57 half. Going strong through the 1:26 third-quarter, Hilltop Sonar was an easy winner by five lengths. Battle Hill was second with Whats Shakin (Ronnie Gillespie) third. Hilltop Sonar was just a $6,000 purchase from the Buckeye Classic Yearling Sale from Galliers Racing and is out of the Cantab Hall mare Mariah De Vie. Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and R A S Racing own the gelding.
LT Loverboy took the first OHSS division in 1:56.1 with Brett Miller at the lines. After getting away third heading towards the opening quarter of :28.2 while Caviar Creek (Merriman) led the way. Mid-way through the second turn, LT Loverboy pulled by the :58.3 half and by the 1:27.1 third-quarter was up to the leader’s wheel. Coming down the stretch, LT Loverboy won by a length and a quarter. What A Buckey (Dan Noble) came up the passing lane to be second but was running at the finish, so he was placed fourth. Caviar Creek was third placed second with Rose Run Arch (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) fourth placed third. LT Loverboy is by Long Tom out of the Cantab Hall mare Fortheloveoflindy. The Midland Acres bred gelding was purchased out of the Ohio Select Yearling Sale for $60,000 and is owned by William Hartt and trainer Matthew Burkholder.
Long Tom’s Thursday success continued as he, and Enterprise, had two sons take divisions of the $27,397 Buckeye Stallion Series for freshman colt trotters.
Tommy Count won the first division of BSS action in 1:58 by six lengths in his first lifetime start with trainer Ronnie Gillespie at the lines. Leaving the gate, Tommy Count was caught wide leaving from post five but made the front by the :28.2 opening quarter. The duo continued to lead at the :57.3 half while Burnindownthehouse (Lems) was second over, three-wide at the 1:27.2 third quarter but ducked down to the rail and came up the passing lane to take second with The Good King (Tyler Smith) continuing to go wide to get up for third. Tommy Count was a $30,000 Ohio Select Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Wayne Weaver. The colt by Long Tom out of the Full Count mare Make It Count is owned by Anthony Miller.
Another Long Tom son, Oaxaca Harry, led gate to wire to take the second division by a quarter length in 1:58.2. Fired up, Oaxaca Harry and Tyler Smith left from post five and set fractions of :27.3, :56.4 and 1:27.1 while Tom Cruiser (Lems) sat in the pocket. Tom Cruiser came up the passing lane with Lovelle (Ryan Stahl) following suit to get up for third. Oaxaca Harry is out of the Dejarmbro mare Purple Sona and was a $15,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from Steiner Stock Farm. Jeff Smith trains Oaxaca Harry for Bet The House LLC.
Last Call Romeo (Trevor Smith) was three-wide early in the mile from post five heading to the lead by the :30 opening quarter. Going to the 1:01.1 half, Vekna (Kayne Kauffman) pulled from fifth and swiftly made it up to second as the field straightened out down the backside. Trotting by the 1:31 third-quarter, Vekna made the top to win by a length and a half in 1:59.4. Stone Noble Lane (Jeff Nisonger) got up for second while Last Call Romeo held on for third. Vekna, owned by Natalie Kauffman is by Enterprise out of the Muscle Hill mare Rare Book and was an $11,000 Blooded Horse Sale purchase from Spring Haven Farm.
The last BSS division was won by another Enterprise, this one driven by Brett Miller who briefly took Naabaahii back to seventh from post two but was out and moving well before the :29.3 opening quarter. Well in hand by the :59 half, the duo led the field towards the 1:28.4 third quarter as Flying Tom (Wrenn, Jr.) made a mild first over bid. Coming down the stretch, Naabaahii was able to hold on to win by a head in 1:58.3 over a fast-closing Oso Fast (Lems) and Mister Squeeze (Page) who came up the passing lane. Naabaahii was bred by James Crawford IV and owner Ann-Mari Daley, who currently owns in partnership with Jared Daley. The gelding out of the RC Royalty mare Zanna Royal is now two-for-two since coming to Ohio from New York, winning at the fair in Mt. Vernon on July 20.
Racing will continue at Scioto on Friday (July 26) and the card will play host to four divisions of the BSS for two-year-old filly pacers and three divisions of three-year-old filly pacers.
(Eldorado Scioto Downs)