Mr Wiggle Pants cruised to a one and a quarter length victory in the $121,384 (div.) Ohio Breeders Championship for two-year-old pacers in a stakes record equalling 1:53.2 in Monday action at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
Driver Kayne Kaufman gunned Mr Wiggle Pants off the gate's wings and forced the favourite Primo Giovanni (Chris Page) to take the second spot. Montrell Teague sent Trayvon first up to challenge the leader at the half-mile station and briefly stuck a nose in front at the three-quarter-mile pole. Mr Wiggle Pants fought back gamely along the rail and turned back a late rally by Primo Giovanni. Trayvon held on for third.
The ultra-consistent son of Mr Wiggles is owned by Denny Miller, William Rufenacht and trainer Jim Mulinix. He has finished on the board in all 10 of his seasonal starts.
Winwood Mac and driver Chris Page scored an upset in the fourth and final division. The eventual winner sat towards the back of the field seven, but found enough racing room in the stretch to nail the pacesetting Nothin Fancy (Dan Noble) by a half-length in a lifetime-best 1:54.2 at odds of 28-1. The gelded son of Canyon Wind is owned by Dawne Luce and trainer Daniel O’Mara.
Owner Stephen Sexton took the first and third divisions with World Of Gaming and Friskie Cruiser.
World Of Gaming with a gate-to-wire in 1:56.3. The World Of Rocknroll colt was trained and reigned by Dan Noble. The win was one of four for Noble on the 14-race card.
Friskie Cruiser and Ryan Stahl took the third division over Aloha John (Kurt Sugg) and Whataboy (Chris Page) by a length and a quarter in 1:54.4. Local trainer Brian Brown conditions the Feelin Friskie gelding.
A pair of $39,395 divisions of the OBCs for three-year-old filly trotters were also carded.
Ryan Stahl steered Lisa Jane to a first over victory in the first division over Soaring Flight (Greg Grismore) and Student Of Life (Kurt Sugg) in 1:58.1. Scott Cox trains the Neely Dunn filly for Parent Racing Stable and G. Peters.
In the second division, Honey B and driver Kyle Ater scored a nose victory over the late-closing Like Old Times (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) in a stakes record 1:56.1. Dan Ater trains the winner for Jim Burnett and Tim Homan.
Racing continues on Tuesday with a 1:00 p.m. post time. Tuesday’s features are the $37,300 Standardbred (two-year-old filly trot) and $105,183 (div.) Ohio Breeders Championship (two-year-old colt trot). A $10,000 guaranteed Pick 4 will be held in races 12 through 15. Complementary past performance pages are available at littlebrownjug.com.
(With files from Little Brown Jug)