Three $27,397 Buckeye Stallion Series divisions for sophomore trotting colts and geldings anchored the card of harness racing on Friday, Aug. 15 at Eldorado Scioto Downs with three different drivers, trainers and stallions winning each split.
The first division was won by Royaltimestwo in 1:54.2 with Tyler Smith in the bike. Leaving from post two, Royaltimestwo got away fourth as Countryofmars (Austin Hanners) led the field through quarters of :27.1 and :56.2. By the 1:25 third quarter, My Next Chapter (Aaron Merriman) had popped the pocket and Long Rocky Road (Luke Hanners) vacated the rail so Royaltimestwo slid up the inside. The pair won by three-quarters of a length over Amazing Tom (Brett Miller) who also came up the inside; Countryofmars was third.
Royaltimestwo is a gelded son of What The Hill out of the Chip Chip Hooray mare Like Old Times. Trained by Marion Chupp for Marlin Miller, Royaltimestwo now has two wins in 11 lifetime starts and $33,438 in earnings.
Skyway Slick and Jason Beattie took the second division by 2-1/4 lengths, also in 1:54.2, to win his fifth race in a row. The duo led gate-to-wire, setting fractions of :28, :57.3 and 1:25 before coming home in :29.2 to best Smoke One For Me (Dan Noble) and I Stand Alone AS (Merriman).
By Long Tom out of the Dream Vacation mare Short Vacation, Skyway Slick is trained by Bobbie Jo Brewer for Michelle Hermann and Matthew Keesler. Coming off the Ohio fair circuit with four wins coming into Friday’s event, Skyway Slick now has eight wins in 15 lifetime starts and $73,0378 in earnings.
The final division was won by Cowboy Poker and Sam Widger in 1:54.4. Coming from post three, Cowboy Poker got the pocket trip behind Shoot Some Hoop (Chris Page) through fractions of :28, :57.3 and 1:26.1. At the top of the stretch, Cowboy Poker came off the rail to challenge the race leader and got by to win by a nose; Rose Run ATM (Miller) was third.
Cowboy Poker is a Marseille gelding is out of the Triumphant Caviar mare Ann E Oaks and now has three wins in 14 lifetime starts and $69,353 in earnings for owners Paul Phillips, Laura Baker, Paul Baker and trainer Jim Arledge, Jr.
In other racing news, Fearless Ginger won the $34,247 Fillies & Mares Open Pace in 1:49.2. Chris Page took Fearless Ginger straight to the top from post four and timed fractions of :26.4, :55.3 and 1:22.1. The pair won by three-quarters of a length over No Foolin April (Miller); High Flyin Filly (Widger) was third. Fearless Ginger is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi. The four-year-old Fear The Dragon mare now has 18 wins in 52 lifetime starts and $464,788 in earnings.
Racing continues Saturday with a single division of the Ohio Sires Stakes for three-year-old colt pacers that were rescheduled due to weather on July 26. With the $100,000 USD purse, all 10 horses must report to detention by 3:32 p.m. Saturday. There will also be four divisions of the Buckeye Stallion Series for three-year-old colt pacers.
Saturday's card also features the $27,000 USD Open Pace with Little Rocket Man coming over from Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Jeremy Smith will be back in the bike for trainer Ken Rucker, and the pair are the slight favourites at 5-2. Smith is making his return to racing, his only drive of the night, since making his last start on July 8.
(with files from Scioto Downs)