A pair of $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes proved fortuitous for two mild longshots on a steamy and humid Saturday evening, July 27, before a cheerful and hefty Scioto Downs crowd.
Bllack Hole, an altered son of Mr Apples, found his way through a wall of horses in the final yards of the first OSS division, blasting through to a 1:50.4 clocking with Tyler Smith at the lines.
Trained by Clarence Foulk for his L&L Stables of Springfield, Ohio, this homebred black sophomore gelding left the gate at odds of 13-1 en route to recording his personal best by more than five full seconds. He was making his very first start in OSS competition.
Natives Sweetlou was second for Danny Noble at 9-1, with 8-5 favourite Seattle Hanover garnering third-place honours with Chris Page in the sulky.
“I bought the dam of this horse, Feel The Thunder, for $50,000 and she broke down before we ever got her to the races,” explained Chad Foulk, son of the trainer. “And we bred her, so that’s why I named the foal ‘Bllack Hole,’ because that’s what she was to me after I paid that much for her and she wasn’t able to race.”
The unusual spelling of the gelding’s name—with two “L’s” instead of one—is in reference to Chad’s two children, and Clarence’s grandchildren, Luke and Lilly.
“That’s also why we call the stable L&L Stables,” Chad said. “This colt was decent at two, but he had to have some OCDs removed and then he needed throat surgery, so coming into this race, I really considered it to be his first start of the year, even though he had a fair win and a qualifier at Hoosier Park (on July 20).”
“I thought he was a good colt, but I didn’t know he was this good!” he exclaimed.
Bllack Hole earned $14,801 as a two-year-old with three wins and a second in just four starts. This latest triumph upped his lifetime earnings to $43,700. He had previously taken a mark of 1:55 last year over this same five-eighths mile oval.
Yankee Boots, an 8-1 choice, captured the second OSS division in 1:52.3, after being parked the mile with Danny Noble at the lines. The overland route was obviously preferable to the gelded son of Yankee Cruiser, who is conditioned and co-owned by Steve Carter for Peggy Carter, Chuck Grubbs, and Joe Whitacre.
Rock Candy, the 1-9 favourite, who had lead throughout the mile, was second by neck with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., at the lines, with 28-1 longshot Gold Digger King (Kayne Kauffman) getting up for third.
Yankee Boots, a homebred, had finished third in the second leg of OSS competition after bypassing leg one. He is the second and most prolific foal out of the Well Said mare Boots N Saddle p, 2, 1:57.1f ($15,404), and now sports a career bankroll of $191,420 with this fourth victory of the season and 14th win lifetime.
(Ohio Standardbred Development Fund Administrator)