The three-year-old colt pace and trot divisions of the Buckeye Stallion Series remain wide open and with the third leg on tap, plenty of single-leg winners will be vying to separate themselves from the pack with a second BSS victory of the season.
A total of 42 colt pacers will compete across five $20,000 USD divisions of the BSS on Sunday (July 6) followed by four $20,000 USD divisions featuring 32 colt trotters on Monday (July 7), both at MGM Northfield Park.
The fourth division of colt pacers should be one of the more exciting races on Sunday’s card. First-leg winner Woodrow Blue Chip will leave from the rail as the 9-5 morning line favourite. The division also features a pair of second-leg winners in 2-1 second choice Fly high Cruiser and 5-1 third choice Seaside Star. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. will drive Woodrow Blue Chip for trainer Ryan Miller. The Lather Up gelding has hit the board in seven of eight seasonal starts, including one win, two seconds, and four thirds, and has $70,265 in lifetime earnings in 18 starts.
First-leg winner South Sea and second-leg winner Johnny Up will square off in the first division. Driven by Tyler Smith for trainer Edward Miller, Johnny Up is the 7-5 morning line favourite ahead of 4-1 second choice Terror Train. A Lather Up gelding, Johnny Up has three wins in five starts this season and $73,972 in lifetime earnings over 12 starts.
Derby Up and Go Jim Dandy, both second-leg winners, are featured in the second division, which is led by 8-5 morning line favourite Luck Is Up. Derby Up is the 2-1 second choice. Dan Noble will drive Luck Is Up for trainer Michael Hitchcock. The Lather Up colt has three wins and $50,140 in 13 lifetime starts.
Second-leg winner Twin B High Tide highlights the third division as the 2-1 morning line favourite with 7-2 second choice Southern Rockfest. Austin Hanners will drive Twin B High Tide for trainer Alicia Hanners. The Downbytheseaside colt has one win and one third in two seasonal starts. He has hit the board in nine of 11 lifetime starts with six wins and $208,082 in earnings.
There are no prior BSS winners in Sunday’s fifth division of colt pacers. Twice As Much enters as the 5-2 morning line favourite with 3-1 second choice Rodeo Cowboy. Smith is pegged to drive Twice As Much for trainer Logan Rowe. The Mr Apples gelding has six wins with $61,400 in earnings in 18 lifetime starts.
Featuring three second-leg winners in Smoke One For Me, Letsgotoparis, and Full Moon Howl, the fourth division of colt trotters sets up as one of the more promising fields on Monday. Smoke One For Me enters as the 9-5 morning line favourite with Letsgotoparis the second choice at 5-2. Noble will drive Smoke One For Me for trainer Christi Noble. The gelded son of Long Tom has four wins and $50,975 in earnings in 15 lifetime starts.
Each of the remaining three divisions have fields that include a pair of one-leg winners.
First-leg winner I Stand Alone As is the 5-2 morning line favourite in the first division ahead of 7-2 second choice Illegally Funded. First-leg winner Tommy Count is also in this division. Noble will drive I Stand Alone As for trainer Anette Lorentzon. The Enterprise gelding has two wins in five lifetime starts.
First-leg winners Born To Trot and Rose Run Ari will square off in the second division. Born To Trot is the 8-5 morning line favourite and will leave from the rail alongside 3-1 second choice Skyway Slick in post two. Noble will drive Born To Trot for trainer Deborah Swartz. The Uncle Peter gelding has three wins and earnings of $37,031 in 10 lifetime starts.
Second-leg winner Nelli Up is the 5-2 morning line favourite in the third division and will leave from the rail with driver Jason Beattie for trainer Ryan Miller. Second-leg winner Along Came Tom shares 3-1 odds with Shoot Some Hoop as co-second choice. Nelli Up has hit the board in 18 of 24 lifetime starts, with six wins, six seconds, and six thirds, and has $80,093 in earnings.
Sunday’s Buckeye Stallion Series races at MGM Northfield Park are part of a 15-race card that also includes a $20,500 USD Open Handicap Trot and $17,000 USD Open II Pace. First race post time is 6 p.m. Monday’s BSS races are part of a 16-race card that begins at 6 p.m.
(OHHA)