Pacers were in the spotlight as the Ohio State Fair stakes wrapped at Scioto Downs on Saturday night.
A huge crowd came out to watch the action on a humid summer evening.
Driver Kayne Kauffman won a division of both the Buckeye State Pace for freshmen and the Director of Agriculture for sophomores.
Kauffman scored first with Jetstream Friskie, moving him confidently to the front during the second quarter and winning with ease in 1:52.3 by two and a quarter lengths. Noble Trick was second while Man He Can Skoot got third. The win was the sixth in 10 tries this season for the Feelin Friskie colt, bred and owned by James Wampler.
Kauffman also won with the juvenile Feelin Lika Winner in dominating fashion, hitting the wire six and a quarter lengths ahead of Phantom Flasher, who was second. Forever Kissed finished third. Feelin Lika Winner led all the way to win eased-up in 1:54.4. Co-owner Scott Mogan trains the winner for the Diamond Chip Stable, AWS Standardbreds, and Charles Guiler.
The two-year-old That Friske Feeling stayed unbeaten for driver Kyle Ater in winning his split of the Buckeye State Pace in 1:55.3 by two and a quarter lengths. He’s now unbeaten in four starts and Jim Arledge Jr. trains the youngster for owners Howard Taylor, Edwin Gold, and Richard Lombargo, who recently purchased the gelding. My Last Chance was second while Hanky L finished third.
Dan Noble, harness racing’s leader driver in wins in 2011, scored in a division of the Director of Agriculture with Gun Show in 1:52.4, his first win in seven starts this season. Noble sat behind the pacesetting Mr I Am for most of the mile, but then tipped Gun Show out in the final quarter to sprint to victory. Q B Sam got up for second while Mr I Am faded to finish third. Gun Show, one of Ohio’s top juveniles last year, is owned by Milton Leeman and Dustin Arledge.
The fastest mile on the 15-race card came when Chip Of Art won the Open Pace in 1:51.1 for driver Trent Tharps and trainer Charles Ross. He was reserved off the torrid fractions set by Dicks Dandy and slipped up the rail to win by one and a half lengths and trigger a $34.20 payoff. David Stanley and Davis Ross own Chip Of Art.
(Scioto Downs)