Bubblles Out notched her fifth consecutive victory and stayed perfect in the Buckeye Stallion Series as she won the fourth $27,397 division for three-year-old filly pacers on Friday, July 4 at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
Chris Page put the filly on top and controlled the tempo to :27, :56.4, and 1:25.2 splits. Bubblles Out extended her lead down the stretch to score by three lengths in 1:53.3 over Racin Like A Star (Luke Hanners), with Goodnight Dance (Kurt Sugg) closing to get up for third. The winner returned $2.80.
Bubblles Out is a homebred by Downbytheseaside-Valerya for Foulk Stables Inc. Trish Foulk trains the filly, who did not race as a two-year-old but has now won five in a row and seven total from 10 starts, with $86,305 in earnings.
Aaron Merriman took two of the four divisions of the Buckeye Stallion Series, including the first in a speedy 1:50.4.
My Hare Legend got the perfect pocket trip and came up to challenge pacesetter Rylee Too (Jeremy Smith) coming out of the last turn. Rylee Too fought back, but My Hare Legend came out on top by a nose; Rose Run Ashlee (Chris Page) was third. The winning Logan Ebersole trainee, a daughter of Bit Of A Legend N-My Hare Lady, got her first win of the season in seven tries after posting four wins last year. In 18 lifetime starts, the $35,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase now has $151,683 in earnings for owner Ronald Rust. My Hare Legend is a half sister to the 2022 winner of the Next Generation, My Red Sea.
Merriman’s other BSS winner was Anna Loves Bananas, who won by a neck in 1:52.4. Leaving from the second tier, Anna Loves Bananas got away fifth, followed cover going three-wide down the backside and got the job done over Odds On Collateral (Pete Wrenn); Reallyrukiddingme (Austin Hanners) finished third. Anna Loves Bananas is a homebred for Tim Betts and is trained by Scott Betts. The Well Said-Sweet Anna Banana filly now has $111,472 in earnings from 20 lifetime starts with five wins.
Legendary L won the second division for trainer/driver Hank LeVan. Leaving aggressively, the Bit Of A Legend N-Albrizzi Hanover filly led at every call to win by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:52. Owned by Le Van Stables, Darmofal Racing Ent., and Megan LeVan, Legendary L, a $9,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase, has earned $55,161 in 24 lifetime starts with nine wins.
In other action at Scioto, Fearless Ginger won the $36,986 Fillies and Mares Open in 1:50.1 with Page manning the reins. The Ron Burke trainee won by a length over Dragon By The Sea (Tyler Smith) and Adashious Hanover (Merriman). The victorious four-year-old Fear The Dragon-Ginger Shark mare is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She now has $414,832 in earnings and 16 wins from 47 lifetime starts.
Trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. topped all trainers with three victories on the 16-race card. Scioto's leading trainer for the last 30 straight years won with Trick Of The Light ($15.40), Jamie Amanda ($6), and Tameudown ($4.40). He currently leads the standings with 54 wins, 10 ahead of Burke.
Scioto's next card will be the stakes-filled Next Generation card on Saturday, July 5.
(With files from Scioto Downs; photo of Bubblles Out winning on June 20)