Driver Dan Noble had a stellar night of Ohio Sires Stakes action, piloting three of the four divisional winners at Scioto Downs on Friday, Aug. 28.
The 32-year-old Kettering, Ohio native piloted both of the pacing and one of the three-year-old trotting filly victresses for Buckeye-bred distaffs.
Longshot E Ticket Ride was Noble’s first score, as he guided the daughter of Feelin Friskie-Double E Hanover-Western Hanover to a 1:54.1 career-best clocking for trainer David Elliott and owner Bret M. Schwartz of Washington Court House, Ohio.
“This filly got a little bit of a rough start initially,” Noble explained. “She didn’t race as a two-year-old and David really took his time with her. She was pretty green this year and is just starting to come around into form at the right time.”
Bred by Midland Acres, the big, chocolate-brown filly pushed her career earnings to $52,820 with the victory, the second of her career in 12 trips postward. Returning $14.20 to her backers on a $2 Win ticket, E Ticket Ride bested favourite Karlee Sue (Kayne Kauffman) by half a length at the wire, while the gritty Hailstorm Gracie (Josh Sutton) got up for third.
In the first of two sires stakes events for trotters, Noble steered another longshot, Song Of The Valley, to a career-best 1:57.1 triumph for trainer Christ Hershberger. Owned and bred by Philip Baldauf of Akron, Ohio, the daughter of Pine Valley-Surf Song Yankee-Yankee Cruiser bested the highly regarded and multiple sires stakes winner Dark Roast (Kurt Sugg) by one and three-quarter lengths. Chip Chip Page (Chris Page) was third with a well-steered, come-from-behind effort.
“I never sat behind this filly before,” Noble said. “But before the race Christ told me that if I was able to get her out of the gate okay, he thought she’d be super tough in here. She’s a good, strong, back-half horse and the race couldn’t have worked out any more perfectly for her.”
Song Of The Valley pushed her seasonal earnings to $33,319 with the victory, the second of the season. Lifetime, she’s amassed $53,827 from 17 starts, with a trio of wins, three seconds and three thirds.
Noble then pulled of the perfect hat trick as he piloted 1-9 favourite Crosswinds Cupcake to a 1:55.1 clocking in the second sires stakes test for pacing fillies. The daughter of Stand Forever-Keystone Mulberry-Artsplace notched her fifth straight victory for Noble, pushing her 2015 earnings to $105,690.
“She’s much more mature and manageable this season,” Noble stressed. “You can do whatever you want with her now as she’s become a much more versatile filly.”
Bred and co-owned by Crosswinds Farm of Waynesville, Ohio and Stephen Sexton of Xenia, Ohio, Crosswinds Cupcake was put on the front end early by Noble and was never challenged, finishing one and a quarter lengths in front of rival Sectionlinefriskie (Greg Grismore) at the wire, while Friskie Lil Devil (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was third. Her career earnings now stand at $146,362.
In the second trotting division, Like Old Times and Ronnie Wrenn Jr., came from off the pace to score in 1:56. The daughter of Chip Chip Hooray-Royal Two-Royal Troubadour was harnessed by Don McKirgan for owner/breeder Keith Ross of Bellefontaine, Ohio, pushing her career earnings to $192,617.
“I was a little concerned because of the soft first half [:58.1],” Wrenn Jr. admitted. “But this filly does her job and raced great tonight. She’s versatile and can race anyway you want her to.”
After sitting through a first-quarter panel of :27.4 set by Honey B (Kyle Ater), Like Old Times made a bold power move, grabbing the lead just past the half to take the field through a 1:26.4 third panel before pacing a modest :29.1 final brush to nail down her 10th win of the year in 12 starts. Her career earnings now stand at $192,617. Expresso Joe (Dan Noble) finished second by two and three-quarter lengths, with Honey B held on for show honours.
Ohio Sires Stakes continue tonight with four divisions at Scioto Downs for three-year-old pacing and trotting colts and geldings. Post time is 6:30 p.m. ET.
(With files from Ohio Standardbred Development Fund)