Lt Loverboy was in the spotlight again on Wednesday, Aug. 14 at MGM Northfield Park as he won for the third time in Ohio Sires Stakes action, capturing one of the evening's three $68,493 divisions.
Starting from the far outside sixth post position, Lt Loverboy with Aaron Merriman was last off the gate. Following a :28.4 opening quarter, Merriman took the son of Long Tom first-over as the field approached the half-mile mark. Heading up the backstretch, Lt Loverboy grabbed control and drew away to win by 4-3/4 lengths in 1:58.3. Rose Run Arch finished second with Battle Hill third. Lt Loverboy now has four wins in six career starts for trainer Darren Harvey and owners Wayne Mast Jr. and Callam Racing.
The win was the second of the night for Mast and Callam Racing. In the opening division, Merriman took Scrappys Love to the lead and held the top spot until late in the stretch when Oso Fast and Chris Lems charged down the lane to win by a neck in 1:58. It was the first win following three runner-up finishes for the Coraggioso gelding, who is trained by Scott Cox. Scrappys Love was second while What A Buckeye finished third.
The final division went to Whats Shakin and Ronnie Gillespie. The son of What The Hill sat mid-pack until the final turn when he went three-wide, taking control mid-stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:00.1. Stud Muffin T finished second with Uncle Moneybags third. Whats Shakin has hit the board in all four of his starts, winning two. Gillespie trains Whats Shaking for W J Donovan.
Threes were wild in the Buckeye Stallion Series. Three of the four $27,397 divisions were won by repeat winners, including the streaking Maddies Delite who won for the third time in three series starts, Dan Noble drove three of the four division winners and three of the winners set new lifetime marks.
Noble took Pink Jammies off the gate quickly in the first division but yielded the top spot to Maa Honey heading to the quarter. Noble sat in the pocket until the top of the stretch when he shot down the passing lane and reeled in Maa Honey at the wire to win by a half-length in a new lifetime mark of 1:56.4. It was the sixth win in nine starts for the Fear The Dragon filly. Rosy Weaver trains and co-owns Pink Jammies with Heartland Acres. Spinal Cracker finished third.
Noble picked up his second win in the series action when he guided Four Carat Rock to her third win of the year in eight starts. Four Rock Carat challenged the leader, Rose Run Alexandra, up the backstretch with Anna Loves Bananas in hot pursuit. As the three turned for home, Four Rock Carat went outside to pass Rose Run Alexandra with Anna Loves Bananas using the passing lane to get by. At the wire, it was Four Rock Carat by a neck in a new lifetime mark of 1:56.3. Anna Loves Bananas was second with Rose Run Alexander fading to third. Ben Davis trains the daughter of Rockin Amadeus for owners Brent Hopper, James Davis and Kyle Gray.
In the third division, Maddies Delite remained perfect in the Buckeye Stallion Series. Noble won his third Buckeye race of the night as he took the Lather Up filly to the lead and never looked back, going gate-to-wire to win in 1:56.3 by 1-3/4 lengths. It was the seventh straight and the eighth victory overall in her nine-race career. She is owned by SCP Stable Inc. and trained by Steve Carter. Song Somewhere finished second with Sunonmybuns third.
Gorgeous Package won the final division, picking up her second win in the series. Gorgeous Package and Anthony MacDonald grabbed the lead for good heading to the half-mile mark and drew away down the stretch to win by 4-1/2 lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:54. It was the third win in five starts for the daughter of Lather Up. Gorgeous Package is owned by Thestable Gorgeouspackage and trained by Jason McGinnis. Sea Of Heartbreak finished second with Sweetens Cove third.
Ohio Sires Stakes action continues on Friday, Aug. 16 at Eldorado Scioto Downs with freshman filly pacers. Buckeye Stallion Series action continues on Thursday night, Aug. 15 at Eldorado Scioto Downs with four divisions of two-year-old colt and gelding pacers.
(With files from Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)