The second leg in the Buckeye Stallion Series for freshman colt pacers and filly trotters headed to the Champaign County Fair in Urbana, Ohio on Tuesday night (Aug. 9). Tony Hall and Aaron Merriman topped all drivers with three wins each, while Anette Lorentzon was the only trainer to win two races.
In the first of the $17,500 divisions for two-year-old colt pacers, Black Python and Merriman turned for home second and roared down the stretch catching the leader, winning in 1:58.4. The win was the second in the row for the Brian Brown trainee and set a new lifetime mark. The son of McCardle has hit the board in all five starts.
In the second division for the colt pacers, Flyin Fitz and Brady Galliers got away last but worked their way through the field, going three-wide around the final turn and getting up to win by a neck in 1:58.1 for trainer John Fitzgerald. The win was the second of the season in six starts for the Racing Hill gelding.
Merriman picked up his third win of the night in the third division of colt pacers with Hes Half Naked. Merriman rallied the son of Western Vintage down the stretch to win for the second time in three starts. The Mike Polhamus trainee covered the mile in a new lifetime mark of 1:59.1.
In the fourth division, Hall picked up his third win of the night as he took Special Dragon gate-to-wire to win 2:01.4. The gelded son of Fear The Dragon was racing in Ohio for the first time and is trained by Lorentzon. Special Dragon has won six of seven starts this year.
In the final division of colt pacers, Cantbeathebeach was making his career debut and did not disappoint. Dan Noble took the Downbytheseaside gelding to the lead and held on at the wire to win by a neck in 1:59. Cantbeathebeach is trained by Christi Noble.
In the first division of two-year-old filly trotters, Merriman took the pocket trip with Bella Time before grabbing the lead at the three-quarter pole and pulling away to win by seven lengths in 2:01.3. Chris Beaver trains the daughter of What The Hill who won for the first time in three starts.
In the second division, Hall won the first of his three with Crystas Legacy. Hall rallied the Long Tom filly down the lane to win by three lengths in 2:01.4 for trainer Marion Chupp. It was the first win for Crystas Legacy, who also has a third place BSS finish on her card.
Hall went back-to-back with the filly trotters in the third division as Lose My Mind AS went gate-to-wire to win by a length in 2:04.1. It was Lorentzon’s second training win of the night. Lose My Mind AS has hit the board in all seven starts, winning two.
In the final division for the freshman filly trotters, Frantastic L and Hank LeVan made it look easy, winning by five lengths in 2:02.1. Frantastic L went to the lead off the gate and never looked back, winning for the sixth time in nine starts.
Buckeye Stallion Series action continues Friday, Aug. 12 when sophomore colt trotters take the track at Eldorado Scioto Downs for the third leg. First race post time is 3:15 p.m.
(OHHA)