As Brett Miller drove two-year-old pacing filly Flyin Bullets first across the finish line in Ohio Sire Stakes action on Friday, Aug. 25 at Scioto Downs, he celebrated his 10,000th career win and became just the 22nd driver in North America to hit that milestone mark.
In the $55,000 eighth race stakes division, Miller looped to the lead with the favoured Clair Umholtz-trained Flyin Bullets, taking over the top spot from Fearless Ginger after a :27.3 opening quarter. They set middle splits of :57 and 1:25 with first-over Bad Girls Racing matching strides but then drifting wide and out of contention as they turned for home. Flyin Bullets kept the rest of her rivals as bay down the stretch, winning by 1-1/2 lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:53.2. Johns Shadow edged out Fearless Ginger for the runner-up honours.
The Downbytheseaside-Pistol Packin Mama filly picked up her third win -- all in Ohio Sire Stakes -- from six career starts for Umholtz And Kennedy Racing.
Miller, who turned 50 last Saturday, earned his first career driving win at Northfield Park in October 1992 and has driven in more than 60,000 races with his mounts earning in excess of $112 million in purses.
The other Ohio Sire Stakes division for two-year-old pacing fillies went to the Ryan Miller-trained Rose Run Zoey, who blew by pacesetter Daisys Star at the third quarter mark and used a :27.4 final frame to win by six lengths in a career-best 1:51.2. Tyler Smith drove the popular Lather Up-Crying Game filly, who is a two-time winner in six starts, for owners Miller Racing Stable and Let It Ride Stables. Beautiful Lather completed the trifecta.
A pair of Ohio Sire Stakes divisions for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings were won by favourites Jet Hill and John Dutton.
Driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. had Jet Hill on top in front of the grandstand the first time and after Grand Revival moved in front they retook the lead into the stretch to win going away in 1:51.4 by more than three lengths for trainer Edward Miller and Serenity Racing Stables. The What The Hill-Schlim Schlamma gelding established a new lifetime mark winning for the ninth time in his career and smashed the track record for three-year-old trotting geldings. Rumble Strips rounded out the top three finish order.
Chris Page rallied John Dutton three-wide past the duelling leaders on the final turn to score by more than two lengths in 1:54.1 for trainer Ron Burke. The What The Hill-Fast Love gelding, who now boasts 11 career wins, is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Johnny Yoder and Ras Racing. Jogging Full Trot and Burtons Hill came on for second and third, respectively.
On the undercard, driver Tony Hall swept the Open events with millionaire pacing mare Grace Hill and trotting mare Pioneer As.
The Grand Circuit stakes-winning mare Grace Hill overcame her outside post assignment to make front and led all the way in the $31,000 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap Pace, winning in 1:49.4 by nearly three lengths over Velocity Lady with Ocean Music third. Hall drove the five-year-old Always B Miki-Western Silk mare, who is trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. and owned by Tom Hill, to her 26th career victory.
Pioneer As rallied off cover to prevail in a blanket finish in the $30,000 Open Trot for trainer Anette Lorentzon and Acl Stuteri Ab. The four-year-old Devious Man-Provide As mare was a 1:52.3 winner in a close call over Kildare King, Tequila Talking, Refined and Caviar Gold. Pioneer As has won two of her last three starts in the Open at Scioto Downs and notched her 10th victory lifetime.