Grove City, OH – Sophomore male pacers will take center stage at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Saturday (Aug. 16) as the 16-race card features one $100,000 division of the fourth leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes and four $20,000 divisions of the fourth leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series.
The fourth leg of the OSS for 3-year-old male pacers was initially scheduled for July 26 but was postponed due to weather. The nine-horse field is led by 2-1 morning-line favorite Jon I Love Dat (Dan Noble). Trained by Ryan Miller, the Downbytheseaside colt placed third in the second and third legs of the OSS. He has won twice in eight starts this season. Downbythewater (Chris Lems) is the 4-1 second choice and will leave from the rail. The Sam Schillaci trainee has three wins and three seconds in nine seasonal starts.
A loaded field in the first division of sophomore male pacers in the fourth leg of the BSS includes two-time winner Fly High Cruiser (Noble) as well as single-leg winners Twice As Much (Tyler Smith), South Sea (Chris Page), and Woodrow Blue Chip (Justin Irvine). Extra Suds (Sam Widger) is the early 9-5 favorite, however. The Virgil Morgan Jr. trainee has hit the board in seven of nine starts this season with three wins. The Lather Up colt will leave from post six next to 3-1 second choice Fly High Cruiser. Trained by Anette Lorentzon, the Yankee Cruiser posted a lifetime-best 1:52.3 in his third-leg victory after winning a division of the second leg in 1:53.2.
Down Two Party (Page) opened as the 3-1 favorite in the second division. Trained by Morgan Jr., the Downbytheseaside gelding has hit the board in nine of 10 seasonal starts with three wins, three seconds, and three thirds. He was a runner-up in each of the first two legs of the BSS. Catch The Express (Irvine) is the 4-1 second choice. The Catch The Fire gelding and Cory Deyermand trainee has four wins in 11 starts this season. The nine-horse field in the second division also includes two winners from previous legs in Seaside Star (Luke Hanners) and Accuracy By Volume (Case Bateson). They will leave from the rail and far outside, respectively.
The third division is headlined by 9-5 morning-line favorite Copper Penny (Cameron McCown). The son of Fool Me Once is trained by Brian Brown. He has three wins in 13 starts this season. Ahhh Bach (Ronnie Gillespie) is the 9-2 second choice. Trained by Jody Flommersfeld, the Racing Hill gelding will leave from the far outside of the first tier. He has hit the board in seven of 11 seasonal starts with three wins.
My First Fire is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the fourth division and will be driven by trainer Ken Holliday. The Catch The Fire gelding will leave from post six next to 7-2 second choice Unique Catch (Widger). My First Fire has hit the board in four of 13 seasonal starts with one win. Unique Catch is another Catch The Fire gelding. Trained by Daren Harvey, he has hit the board in seven of 11 starts this season with two wins.
Two-leg winners Johnny Up, Derby Up, and Twin B High Tide are not entered in the fourth leg.
First-race post time on Saturday at Eldorado Scioto Downs is 5:45 p.m. (EDT).