Scarlet & Gray Invitationals produce track and national season’s records at Miami Valley
April 27, 2018,by Miami Valley Raceway
Lebanon, OH — A pair of $50,000 Scarlet & Gray Invitationals, featuring Buckeye-bred sophomore filly trotters and pacers, both produced Miami Valley Raceway track records—as well as national season’s marks.
Looking For Zelda (Tony Hall) captured the trotting division in 1:55.2, topping Red Storm (Aaron Merriman) by three parts of a length with Sesame (Chris Page) another half-length behind. Hall was content to get away fifth with the winner of $228,675 at two as the daughter of Break The Bank K was making her initial 2018 start off two winning qualifiers. Trainer Norm Parker had Looking For Zelda ready to roll, though and Hall drove her confidently.
Conrad photo
Looking For Zelda establishes a new track record of 1:55.2
After a :28.2 opening panel posted by Non Smoker (Dan Noble), Hall vacated the pylons just prior to the :57.2 half and moved up in first-over position to second by the 1:26.3 third timing station. A stride-for-stride showdown ensued for most of the final quarter until Looking For Zelda edged ahead in the final 50 yards.
“She’s a nice one,” exclaimed a jubilant Parker. “She won all four legs of the Ohio Sires Stakes last year before finishing second in the final. She won Grand Circuit stakes at Harrahs and The Red Mile and raced in the Breeders Crown at two, so we think a lot of her. I’m happy for Mr. Key (owner Robert J. Key).”
The $50,000 filly pace went to Baron Remy (Chris Page) in a 1:52 track record, which is also the fastest mile by a sophomore filly pacer on a five-eighths mile track thus far in 2018. Page executed a quarter move from third to the lead just past the opening panel and held off all challengers to win by 2-3/4 lengths.
Hackett Memorial winner Up Front Flor Ida (Kayne Kauffman) enjoyed a pocket trip throughout, but could do no better than second. Grant Me This (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rallied in the stretch to grab the show dough.
“Pretty darn nice filly,” Page explained in the winner’s circle. “Ronnie (Burke) always has them ready so I was sure she would put in a big effort and she did.”
Silva, Purnel & Libby, Karr and Weaver Bruscemi are all partners on the daughter of Yankee Cruiser with Burke Racing Stable.
It is expected that both Scarlet & Gray winners will be back at Miami Valley next Friday night (May 4) when the first leg of the 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes program kicks off with the 3-year-old fillies action.
A $25,000 Mares Open was also presented with Rockin Racer (Jared Finn) besting Cas Art Apparel (Josh Sutton) and Juslikeaqueen (Jeremy Smith) in 1:52.3.
The “boys” will be in action Saturday night (April 28) with another pair of $50,000 Scarlet & Gray Invitationals as well as Open I and Open II events for the region’s finest older pacers.
- ‘She’s just a blessing’ (Tuesday, April 24, 2018)
It might be uncommon for recent travels to play a role in buying a racehorse, but such good fortune led trainer Tim McKoy and his partners to Up Front Flor Ida at the 2016 Buckeye Classic Yearling Sale. Kevin McKinney, who co-owns the female pacer with McKoy’s wife Virginia, had just returned to Ohio from Florida and took notice of Up Front Flor Ida. “That’s the only reason we got her,” McKoy said. “She looked like a million bucks in the sales ring; she looked great. But the only thing that first drew attention to her was her name.”
- All-time track record goes to Nuclear Dragon at Miami Valley; Noble wins seven (Saturday, April 28, 2018)
A pair of $50,000 Scarlet & Gray Invitationals for the finest 3-year-old pacers and trotters in Ohio were supposed to share the spotlight at Miami Valley Raceway on Saturday night (April 28). While neither race disappointed, with two of the Buckeye state’s best sophomores displaying awesome speed, an all time-all age track record 1:49 performance in the $23,000 Open I Pace by Nuclear Dragon shared the limelight. It wasn’t just the horses putting on a tremendous show, either, as leading driver Dan Noble visited the winner’s circle seven times on the special Saturday program.