Kyle Ater scored a hat trick in Ohio Sires Stakes action at Scioto Downs on Wednesday, winning both pacing events and one of the two trots.
His fastest ride came behind That Friske Feelin, who paced away from his foes in the stretch to trip the timer in 1:53.4, lowering his personal best by more than three seconds. That Friske Feelin is trained by Fred Huff Jr., who owns him in partnership with Bob Caudill. He had previously won at the Circleville Fair and in a 1:57.1 qualifier at Scioto.
Chip Noble sent My Last Chance away from the gate quickly to grab the lead as the field passed the opening quarter in :27.4. As Noble eased off the accelerator, Ater had That Friske Feelin out and moving from the pocket to claim the lead. He was unchallenged until Kayne Kauffman moved favoured Feelin Lika Winner to threaten That Friske Feelin. The duel was over before it began as Ater and his pacing gelding stepped away to win by four and three-quarter lenths. Feelin Lika Winner held for second while Sectionline Road got up for third place. All three are sons of Feelin Friskie.
Earlier in the program, Ater won the other Ohio Sires Stakes for freshman pacing males with Dusto in 1:57.1. Steve Carter owns and trains the winner, a son of Stand Forever.
Ater sent the even-money favourite to the front at the start of the race and finished one and a quarter lengths ahead of Phantom Flasher and Forever Kissed. Dusto was also a winner in mid-June at the Circleville Fair with Ater in the bike.
Ater’s other victory in Ohio Sires Stakes action came with Final Breath, the 1-2 favourite in the first trotting split. He kept the son of Victory Sam in fifth place in the six-horse field as Flashy Cash set the fractions. Final Breath began to move nearing the half-mile marker, picking up cover from driver Jim Dailey and Chet N Spanky. The Dailey brothers and their trotters went head-to-head with a quarter-mile remaining, but then Ater sent Final Breath three-wide and the race was virtually over. He looped them and was an easy three and a half length winner at the wire. The mile was timed in 2:03.1.
Final Breath had raced in three qualifiers, but the Ohio Sires Stakes was his first purse start for owner-trainer Duane Lowe of Malta, Ohio.
The other OSS trotting event went to Heza Rube, trained by Marty Wollam for Deborah Kvernmo and driven to victory by Kurt Sugg. He was timed in 2:02.2.
Masterdream Chaser and driver Ron Steck went to the lead at the start of the mile and slowed the tempo in the second quarter. That caused Sugg to launch his attack with Heza Rube. With a quarter-mile remaining, Masterdream Chaser and Heza Rube were fighting for supremacy, but Heza Rube had more power. He coasted to victory by five and a quarter lengths over Masterdream Chaser and Sundayscoming.
(Scioto Downs)