The undefeated Rick Wink pushed his perfect record to seven-for-seven, just missing a world record on the undercard of the 2024 Little Brown Jug day card of harness racing on Thursday, Sept. 19 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
Here's a breakdown of the stakes races from the final day of harness racing this year at the Ohio oval.
$121,622 Miss Versatility Final (Older Mare Trot)
The Norwegian-bred Nelsonbriteagle benefited from early breaks in stride by HP Mama B (Louis Roy) and Tipsy Moni (Yannick Gingras), and was able to coast to a 7-3/4 length romp in 1:52.3.
The six-year-old Bold Eagle mare is co-owned by trainer Ake Svanstedt and breeder Nils Munkhaugen.
Adare Castle (James MacDonald) was second and Tactical Mounds (Scott Zeron) was third.
$124,527 Old Oaken Bucket (Three-Year-Old Colt Trot)
Four Sixes (Yannick Gingras) minded his manners and went gate-to wire in a lifetime best 1:54 over Vanguard (Todd McCarthy) and Elhelpsky (Peter Wrenn).
The winning son of Six Pack is co-owned by William Hartt and trainer Melissa Beckwith.
$67,568 Standardbred (Two-Year-Old Colt Trot)
Arrowhead Hanover received a patient drive from Anthony MacDonald and won the Standardbred by 1-1/2 lengths over Abraham Hanover (Mike Wilder) and Lefties Righties (Scott Zeron).
The International Moni gelding is owned by fractional ownership group Thestable Arrowheadhanovr of Guelph, Ont.
The winning time of 1:55.2 was a new lifetime mark for Arrowhead Hanover who has now won $112,282 this season.
$63,514 Standardbred (Two-Year Old Colt Pace)
Dreamboat Hanover (Andy Miller) capitalized on an early quick pace by Railroad Station (David Miller) and swept by the tiring leader around the final turn to win in 1:51.2.
Fasting (Jeremy Indof) was 4-1/4 lengths back in second, Waitingforguffman (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) third and Railroad Station was fourth.
The Papi Rob Hanover gelding is trained by co-owner Todd Schadel, Christine Schadel, Timothy Hayes and Dr. Megan Moschgat.
$97,973 Ohio Breeders Championship divisions (Two-Year Old Colt Pace)
The undefeated Rick Wink (pictured above with Chris Page) took control of the field of six at the quarter-mile and pole sprinted six lengths clear of Extra Suds (Brett Miller) and House Of Brix (Trevor Smith) to take the second and fastest $97,973 division.
The 1:50.2 final time established a new stakes record and was just two-fifths of a second off the world mark.
The Bit Of A Legend N colt is conditioned by Ron Burke for the Burke Racing Stable, R A S Stable, Knox Services, J&T Silva-Purnel-Libby. He was bred by Larry R. Miller.
Rick Wink, who was a $27,000 yearling purchase, has not tasted defeat in seven seasonal starts and now has earned $283,441.
Bars And Notes and Tyler Smith skimmed the pylons in the stretch to go from worst to first in the first division.
The pacesetting Downbythewater (Chris Lems) was second and Fabio Hanover (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) was third.
The winner is co-owned by trainer Joseph Lucas and At The Wire Farms.
The final time of 1:53.1 was a new lifetime best for the gelded son of Racing Hill who was bred by Kevin Greenfield and Michael Creps.
$88,649 Ohio Breeders Championship divisions (Three-Year Old Colt Pace)
Outer Banks (Chris Page) kept the challenging Pariss Dragon (Dan Noble) in the pocket long enough to score a neck victory in the second division in 1:52.1.
The Downbytheseaside gelding is owned by Burke Racing Stable, R A S Stable, J&T Silva-Purnel-Libby and Weaver Bruscemi.
The winner was purchased for $50,000 as a yearling from the breeder, Frank Nanna.
Janelle Granny (Dexter Dunn) used a three-wide move in the final turn and wore down the leading Clever Cody (Aaron Merriman) in the first $88,649 division. Hundred Dollar Man (Montrell Teague) was a closing third.
Trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. continued his hot streak with this Fear The Dragon colt, who is owned by Betty Jo Clegg.
Janelle Granny lowered his lifetime mark with the 1:49.4 victory.
$159,730 Ohio Breeders Championship (Three-Year Old Filly Pace)
Calypso Pearl (Dan Noble) survived a two-prong stretch challenge from the outside Seaside Diva (Chris Page) and the inside Katies Up (Yannick Gingras) to score a neck win in 1:51.2.
Christi Noble trains the homebred winner for Sandra Burnett.
The Fear The Dragon filly won for the fifth time in 2024 after going unraced at two.
$155,676 Ohio Breeders Championship (Three-Year Old Colt Trot)
Spaaaanzano (Aaron Merriman) and Tennessee Tom (Chris Page) have been battling each other for the past two years and this time Spaaaanzano came out on top by three lengths in 1:53.2.
Tennessee Tom edged Royal Precedent (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) in a place photo.
The Coraggioso gelding is trained and co-owned by Chris Beaver who he shares ownership with Spaaaartners and Ontario residents Bill Manes and Leo Fleming.
(Little Brown Jug)