Sophomore colt pacers will take centre stage at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Saturday, Aug. 16 as the 16-race card features one $100,000 USD division of the fourth leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes and four $20,000 USD divisions of the fourth leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series.
The fourth leg of the OHSS for three-year-old colt pacers was initially scheduled for July 26 but was postponed due to weather.
The nine-horse field is led by 2-1 morning line favourite Jon I Love Dat (Dan Noble). Trained by Ryan Miller, the Downbytheseaside colt placed third in the second and third legs of the OHSS. He has won twice in eight starts this season. Downbythewater (Chris Lems) is the 4-1 second choice and will leave from the rail. The Sam Schillaci trainee has three wins and three seconds in nine seasonal starts.
A loaded field in the first division of sophomore colt pacers in the fourth leg of the BSS includes two-time winner Fly High Cruiser (Noble) as well as one-leg winners Twice As Much (Tyler Smith), South Sea (Chris Page), and Woodrow Blue Chip (Justin Irvine). Extra Suds (Sam Widger) is the early 9-5 favourite, however. The Virgil Morgan Jr. trainee has hit the board in seven of nine starts this season with three wins. The Lather Up colt will leave from post six next to 3-1 second choice Fly High Cruiser. Trained by Anette Lorentzon, the Yankee Cruiser posted a lifetime-best 1:52.3 in his third-leg victory after winning a division of the second leg in 1:53.2.
Down Two Party (Page) opened as the 3-1 favourite in the second division. Trained by Morgan Jr., the Downbytheseaside gelding has hit the board in nine of 10 seasonal starts with three wins, three seconds, and three thirds. He was a runner-up in each of the first two legs of the BSS. Catch The Express (Irvine) is the 4-1 second choice. The Catch The Fire gelding and Cory Deyermand trainee has four wins in 11 starts this season. The nine-horse field in the second division also includes two winners from previous legs in Seaside Star (Luke Hanners) and Accuracy By Volume (Case Bateson). They will leave from the rail and far outside, respectively.
The third division is headlined by 9-5 morning line favourite Copper Penny (Cameron McCown). The son of Fool Me Once is trained by Brian Brown. He has three wins in 13 starts this season. Ahhh Bach (Ronnie Gillespie) is the 9-2 second choice. Trained by Jody Flommersfeld, the Racing Hill gelding will leave from the far outside of the first tier. He has hit the board in seven of 11 seasonal starts with three wins.
My First Fire is the early 3-1 favourite in the fourth division and will be driven by trainer Ken Holliday. The Catch The Fire gelding will leave from post six next to 7-2 second choice Unique Catch (Widger). My First Fire has hit the board in four of 13 seasonal starts with one win. Unique Catch is another Catch The Fire gelding. Trained by Daren Harvey, he has hit the board in seven of 11 starts this season with two wins.
Two-leg winners Johnny Up, Derby Up, and Twin B High Tide are not entered in the fourth leg.
First-race post time on Saturday at Eldorado Scioto Downs is 5:45 p.m.
Sophomore Filly Pacers Head to Northfield for Fourth Leg of Buckeye Stallion Series
MGM Northfield Park hosts four $20,000 USD divisions of the fourth leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for sophomore filly pacers on Sunday (Aug. 17). First-race post time is 6 p.m.
Queen Of Fear (Kurt Sugg) opened as the 6-5 favourite in the first division. Trained by Edward Miller, the Fear The Dragon filly has three wins and one second in four starts this season. Odds On Collateral (Aaron Merriman) is the 3-1 second choice. The Downbytheseaside filly is trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. She has hit the board in three of six seasonal starts with one win.
The second division is headlined by 7-5 morning line favourite Survivin Fire (Dan Noble). The Michael Hitchcock trainee posted a win in the second leg in a lifetime-best 1:52.1. The Catch The Fire filly has nine victories with three seconds and one third in 16 starts on the season. Maddies Delite (Merriman) is the 3-1 second choice. A winner in the opening leg and a runner-up in the second leg, the Lather Up filly and Steve Carter trainee has six wins and three seconds in 11 seasonal starts.
In the third division, Anna Loves Bananas (Merriman) opened as the slight 2-1 favourite over 5-2 second choice Rylee Too (Brett Miller). Trained by Scott Betts, Anna Loves Bananas posted a win in the third leg in 1:52.4. The Well Said filly has four wins in 14 seasonal starts. Carter trainee Rylee Too is a Lather Up filly with two wins, one second, and five thirds in nine starts this season.
Catch The Fire filly Guard The Fire (Cameron McCown) is the 2-1 morning line favourite in the fourth division. The Brian Brown trainee posted an opening-leg win in 1:55.2 and has hit the board in five of nine seasonal starts. She will leave from post three in between Judge Me Again (Trevor Smith) in post two and Racin Like A Star (Justin Irvine) in post four. Judge Me Again and Racin Like A Star share 4-1 odds as co-second choice. Trained by Chris Beaver, Judge Me Again is a Western Vintage filly with three wins, five seconds, and one third in 13 starts this season. He recorded a victory in the second leg in 1:51.3. Racin Like A Star is trained by Ryan Holton. The Racing Hill filly has hit the board in 10 of 12 seasonal starts with five wins, four seconds, and one third.
Bubblles Out, who posted a win in each of the first three legs of the BSS, is not entered in the fourth leg.
(Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association; photo of Jon I Love Dat racing at Plainridge)