Driver Ronnie Gillespie recorded a milestone win when he steered the undefeated Big Ranger to a gate-to-wire victory in the second $76,712 division of the Ohio State Trot on Thursday (July 31) night at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
The prohibitive favourite was taken directly to the lead and was able to control the fractions and his seven competitors. Big Ranger cruised to a 1-1/2 length win in 1:56 over Ur Ride Is Here (Brady Brown) and Super Mind (Anthony MacDonald). Gillespie trains and Madison Global owns the In Range freshman colt who is now a perfect three-for-three in 2025. Big Ranger was a $25,000 USD yearling purchase from the Spring Haven Farm consignment at the Ohio Select Sale.
Gillespie, 53, recorded his first victory in 1997 at the Neshoba County Fair in his native Mississippi. He started driving regularly in Ohio in 2020.
The Ohio State Fair stakes started with a bang and a big upset when Uncle Danny (Anthony MacDonald) capitalized on a break in stride by the heavily favored leader Ready Russell (Dan Noble) in the stretch and scored a 1:56.4 victory in the first division of the freshman colt trot. The Uncle Peter gelding was 2-1/4 lengths better than Eckert Hill Brady (Justin Irvine), Water Slide (Aaron Merriman) and Moonshine Moni Man (Tyler Smith).
Uncle Danny is trained by Jason McGinnis for TheStable.ca and Hutchison Harness and was bred by Albert J. Miller. The winner scored for the second time in six career starts and paid $109.80 to win and was the key to a $4,521.98 superfecta for a $0.20 ticket.
The final freshman colt trot division, Tom Largo used a patient drive from Dan Noble and swept past the pace setting Where Theres Smoke (Justin Irvine) in the lane to win in 1:57.1. Grape Crush (Chris Lems) was a fast closing third. The Scott Cox trainee picked up his second win in four seasonal starts for the Jughead Stables and G. Peters. The Long Tom gelding was bred by Midland Acres.
The two-year-old filly, Godusa flexed her muscle and crushed her seven opponents to take the third and final Ohio Fair Trot division.
Driver Dan Noble allowed the eventual winner to watch a trio of fillies leave the starting gate quickly and they took control of the field at the three-eighths pole and cruised to a 7-3/4 length score over Rose Run Brooke (Luke Hanners) and Capturethephoto (Aaron Merriman) in 1:56.
The Ready For Moni filly was bred by Carter Duer and was purchased as a yearling for $35,000 USD by E Five Racing and John D. Fielding. Godusa, trained by Nancy Takter, has won two straight over the Eldorado Scioto Downs surface.
The first division of the Ohio Fairs Trot went to Speedbewithyou and Austin Hanners in 1:57.
Saddled with the outside post eight, the Mission Accepted filly was floated off the starting gates wings and took the lead past the opening quarter and pulled away from the field and scored a 2-1/2 length win. Princess Karolyn (Justin Irvine) rallied for second and Divvy It Up (Brett Miller) was third.
Speedbewithyou is co-owned by Greg Luther Racing and breeder David Wills. He is conditioned by Todd Luther.
The second $76,027 division was captured by Demonic Niko (Dan Noble) in 1:57.1. The In Range filly held off a fast-closing Range The Wish (Aaron Merriman) by a half-a-length and Judys Moni (Anthony MacDonald) was another two lengths back in third.
Erv Miller trains and co-owns the filly with Anthony Lombardi and Douglas Overhiser. Labelle Farms is the breeder. With her fourth the win of the season, the $95,000 USD yearling has now earned $185,274.
The Ohio State Fair action continues tomorrow night at Eldorado Scioto Downs with the State Fair Managers Pace (two-year-old fillies), Pride of Ohio Trot (three-year-old fillies) and Ohio First Lady Pace (three-year-old fillies). Post time for the 16-race card is 5:55 p.m.
Scioto Downs will host horseshoe decorating near the program stand Friday and Saturday during the State Fair races. Kids of all ages are welcome to pick out a shoe and decorate it with flowers, charms, feathers and more from 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. each night.
The Ohio Harness Horseman’s Association will be on track Saturday (August 2) for their Tickets & TVs give-a-way, along with a State Fair display and will be signing kids, 12 years of age and under, up for their new ‘Backstretch Buddies’ fan club.
(Eldorado Scioto Downs)