Ohio Sires Stakes action headlined the special Labor Day card at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Monday (Sept. 2).
In the lone $135,135 division for two-year-old filly trotters, Mocha Hill (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) was a nose winner over stablemate Rose Run Allison (Chris Page) in 1:56.1.
Up (Chris Lems) took the early lead but Aunt Laura (Brett Miller) took over mid-way through the opening turn and crossed over as they reached the :29 opening quarter. As the field straightened out down the stretch for the first time, Rose Run Allison quickly came up from fifth to take over by the :57.3 half. This left stablemate Brink Street (Eric Goodell) first up with Mocha Hill second over. When pocket sitter Aunt Laura went off stride, Brink Street settled in the pocket leaving Mocha Hill first over. Still comfortably in the lead at the 1:27.1 third quarter, Rose Run Allison and Mocha Hill battled down to the wire with Mocha Hill coming out on top.
Mocha Hill, by What The Hill out of the Cantab Hall mare Socha Hanover, was a $47,000 Ohio Selected yearling sale purchase from breeder Franklin Equine. Trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Weaver Bruscemi and Knox Services, the filly now has five wins in six starts and $203,597 in earnings.
Battle Hill was a convincing gate-to-wire winner in the first $87,838 division of the two-year-old colt trot in 1:56.1. Pressured early from Whats Shakin (Ronnie Gillespie) at the :28.4 opening quarter, driver Chris Lems kept the lead through the :57.2 half and 1:26.3 third-quarter. LT Loverboy (Miller) came from the back of the pack to get up for second, with Whats Shakin third.
Battle Hill, by Marseille out of the Kadabra mare Battle Mage, was a $65,000 Ohio Select Sale purchase from breeder Galliers Racing. Owned by William Hartt and trained by Matthew Burkholder, Battle Hill now has three wins in six starts and $115,254 in earnings.
The other division for two-year-old colt trotters was won by Hilltop Sonar and Page in 1:57.3. Leading gate to wire off post nine, Hilltop Sonar led through fractions of :29, :58 and 1:28 before kicking home in :29.3 to win by a length over Scrappys Love (Aaron Merriman); Oso Fast (Lems) was third.
Hilltop Sonar, by What The Hill out of the Cantab Hall mare Mariah De Vie was a $6,000 Buckeye Classic yearling sale purchase from breeder Adrian Hochstetler. Trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Beasty and Rich Lombardo Racing, the gelding now has three wins in four starts and $121,145 in earnings.
The next live racing day at Scioto is Thursday, Sept. 5. The Saturday (Sept. 7) card features the $250,000 USD Jim Ewart Memorial Pace and the Charlie Hill Memorial Trot.
Post time for all remaining cards, except for Friday, Sept. 13, is 5:45 p.m. First post for the Friday the 13th card will be 6:45 p.m., to help accommodate horsemen attending the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale.
(Eldorado Scioto Downs)