Columbus, OH — The Eldorado Scioto Downs track keeps producing speed, with two more track records broken Saturday (July 29), including the one for older pacing mares in the $100,000 Cleopatra Invitational, which Grace Hill won by a nose in 1:48.4.

Kobe’s Gigi and Tyler Smith left from the rail with Grace Hill and Tony Hall just to her outside from post three. Stretching Grace Hill a bit going to the quarter, Kobe’s Gigi yielded to Grace Hill at the :26.2 opening quarter. Grace Hill then looked comfortable setting fractions of :54.2 to the half and 1:21.3 to the three-quarters. Smith pulled Kobe’s Gigi at the top of the stretch and came at Grace Hill throughout the final eighth but came up a nose short. Violets Rainbow (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) got up for third.

Grace Hill held her ground in a track record 1:48.4 mile in the Cleopatra Invitational.

“When you’re the favorite like that, more often than not you land on the front, not that that’s where you always want to be,” said trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. “But I thought she raced great. Nothing’s easy, especially here.

“I still felt pretty good (at the top of the stretch), but the other horse, she’s a really nice mare and she was tracking her really good. But my mare, when she sees another horse, she digs in pretty good, so yeah, was it closer than I wanted it to be? Yeah, it was a little too close for comfort.”

Tom Hill owns Grace Hill, a 5-year-old mare by Always B Miki out of the Western Terror mare Western Silk. In each of her eight 2023 starts, she has been the betting favorite and has visited the winner’s circle six times to boast $295,087 in seasonal earnings. In the Cleopatra, she was set off as the 1-5 favorite and paid $2.60 to win.

Just 20 minutes later, Ohio-sired Charlie May came up the inside passing lane to win the $100,000 #SendItIn Invitational in 1:47.4.

Charlie May took the inside path to victory in the #SendItIn Invitational. Conrad Photo.

Linedrive Hanover and Aaron Merriman left out of the seven-hole to cut the mile with Charlie May sitting in the pocket. After the :26.4 opening quarter, Little Rocket Man (Jeremy Smith) pulled first-up just before the :54.2 half. The field went by the three-quarters in 1:20.4 with those three horses then putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the field. With Little Rocket Man still in close quarters to the outside, Charlie May had to wait for the passing lane and took complete advantage, winning by a quarter length. The mile was only one-fifth of a second off the track record for older geldings, set one week ago by Little Rocket Man.

“He got a great trip, and I’m proud of Scioto Downs for putting it on,” said trainer Steve Carter.

Also a 5-year-old, Charlie May is owned by breeder Don Tiger. He is by McArdle out of the Western Hanover mare Stipple Hanover. The gelding now has seven starts with two wins in 2023 and $1.89 million in lifetime earnings. Sent off as the third betting choice at 3-1, Charlie May paid $8.40 to win.

On the undercard, another track record was broken: Pioneer AS and Tony Hall took the $33,000 Open Trot in 1:51.3. The 4-year-old mare by Devious Man is trained by Anette Lorentzon for ACL Stuteri AB.

Stakes action continues next week at Scioto with the Ohio State Fair Stakes for Ohio-sired horses, Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 3-5.

Racing is held at Scioto Downs each Tuesday and Wednesday with a 3:15 p.m. first post and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with a 5:50 p.m. first post through Saturday, Sept. 16. Follow @SciotoRacing on Twitter for all the details of the 2023 racing season at Eldorado Scioto Downs. More information about the entire Scioto Downs racing season, including race schedule, wagering menu, VIP room reservations and more can be found at www.SciotoDowns.com.