Columbus, OH – Five divisions of the $20,000 Buckeye Stallion Series for filly trotters kicked off the 2025 2-year-old season Thursday (July 10) at Eldorado Scioto Downs. Trainer Anette Lorentzon won with two fillies sired by Guardian Angel As and was second with two others from that sire.
The first winner of the evening was Chasingstardust As, by a nose, in 1:57.4. Opening quarters of :28.4 and :59.3 set up a first-over bid by driver Dan Noble. The field hit the three-quarter pole in 1:28, with Chasingstardust As posting a 28.4 last quarter to win over Cast No Stones (Aaron Merriman). Off The Rails (Kayne Kauffman) was third. Chasingstardust As is a homebred for ACL Stuteri AB, who was making her first start after two qualifiers at Scioto.
Also owned and bred by ACL Stuteri, along with partner Kjell Johansson, and making her first start after two qualifiers, Joyofmylife As was an open-length winner in 1:56.4. Leaving from the trailing post 10, Joyofmylife As also made a first-over bid after an opening quarter of :28.3. Sitting out by the :59.1 half and through the 1:28.2 third-quarter, the even-money favorite came home in :28.1 to win by four lengths over Sassy Rose (Trevor Smith) and Lady’s Lucky Moni (Chris Lems).
The Hank LeVan trained and driven Hangtighthoney L was a gate-to-wire winner from post seven in 1:58.1. Posting fractions of :29.1, 1:00.2 and 1:30.1, Hangtighthoney L came home in :28 to win over Til The End As (Noble). Jolene Hall (Anthony MacDonald) was third. Hangtighthoney L already had four fair wins under her belt in five starts and has earned $18,571. The In Range filly is owned by LeVan Stables, Darmofal Racing, Hurley Racing, and Megan LeVan. Hangtighthoney L was sold at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale under the name Linz In CCL, for $30,000.
The Herman Hagerman trainee Rose Run Bridget won her $20,000 BSS division in 2:01.2. Tyler Smith gave the What The Hill filly the perfect pocket trip through quarters of :31.1 and 1:02.2. Popping the pocket before the 1:32.1 third-quarter, Rose Run Bridget posted a :29 last quarter to win by a length over a fast-closing Readi Two (Sandy Beatty). Viva Magenta (Justin Irvine) was third. Rose Run Bridget finished third at the Circleville fair before posting two qualifiers prior to Thursday’s victory. The 44-1 longshot was a $16,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase and is owned by Anthony Miller and Hagerman Racing.
Judy’s Moni won the fifth and last division by a length in 1:57.2. Brett Miller got the Ready For Moni filly away fourth from post six but after the :30.1 opening quarter, moved to the front, was pushed three-wide coming under the line for the first time and made front to lead through the :59.2 half and 1:28.2 third-quarter. Coming home in :29, Judy’s Moni held off Mockingbird As (Noble). Hill On Heels (Ty. Smith) was third. Judy’s Moni is owned by Thestable Judys Moni and came into the race with two qualifiers, one at Northfield and one at The Meadows. Judy’s Moni was a $12,000 Blooded Horse Sale purchase last August.
Stakes action continues Saturday (July 12) with eight divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes action for 2-year-old trotters – four divisions each of the colts and fillies. Vying for their share of $400,000 in purses, the action starts in race one, with an estimated first race off-time of 5:52 p.m. (EDT).
The 90-day 2025 Eldorado Scioto Downs race meet runs through Saturday, Sept. 13. Races are held Tuesday-Saturday with a 5:45 p.m. first post. A special late first post of 6:45 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, will help accommodate horsemen attending the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale. More information about racing at Scioto can be found on the Eldorado Scioto Downs website.