The Scioto Downs Racino racetrack has been on fire this year and Saturday’s races set or tied three more track records.
Rockin Finish took on a field of pacers that have collectively earned over $640,000 so far in 2013 in the Capitol City Pace for winners over $60,000, a late closer for four-year-old and over stallion and geldings. The blistering 1:50 mile, with a last quarter of :26.4, tied the all-age track record set back in 2000 by Gallo Blue Chip and Dan Dube, and set a new personal best for Rockin Finish.
Ronnie Wrenn Jr. drove the Rocknroll Hanover-Please Me Please gelding and the mile also bested the previous four-year-old gelding track record for pacers of 1:50.2 that was set earlier this year by stablemate I Found My Beach and Dan Noble. Rockin Finish is owned by Gerrie Tucker of Montreal, Que. The Ron Burke-trained entry of Transcending (Tony Hall) and Audreys Dream (Greg Grismore) finished second and third.
Just one race previous, the Heart of Ohio Trot, with the same conditions as the Capitol City Pace, saw Ontario Sires Stakes graduate Summer Indian and Tony Hall set a new track record for four-year-old trotting geldings when they crossed the finish line in 1:53.
By Majestic Son out of the Balanced Image mare A Touch Of Frost, Summer Indian won by just a neck over Southwind Pepino (Hugh “Sandy” Beatty). Summer Indian’s stablemate Run And Tell Pap (Dan Noble) was just a half-length behind the winner and finished third. Summer Indian, who competed in Hanover Raceway's Champions Match Race last weekend, is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Jack Piatt III, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and RTC Stables Inc.
The last division of the Ohio Breeders Stakes was close, but Dibs and Tony Hall just beat out Rocket Beau (Kyle Ater) and Friskie Adam (Chip Noble) in 1:54.4. The two-year-old pacing colt is the full brother to three-year-old pacing filly Pink Camo and likewise is trained by Ron Burke. The gelding by Pine Valley out of Cgs Gem now has earned just under $40,000 in five starts.
Racing continues this weekend at Scioto on Sunday with a special 5 p.m. post time.
(With files from Scioto Downs)