Columbus, OH — A single $100,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for 3-year-old colt pacers was held Saturday (August 16) at Eldorado Scioto Downs with Harrisburg Heist taking the spoils in 1:49.
Jon I Love Dat (Dan Noble) worked hard to make the front from post five at the :25.2 quarter. As the leader hit the half in :53.3, Downbythewater (Chris Lems) was sitting in the pocket with Harrisburg Heist and Chris Page up at the leader’s wheel by the 1:21 quarter. Harrisburg Heist comfortably drew off to win by three and a half lengths over Downbythewater, with Jon I Love Dat holding on for third.
Now eight for 11 on the season, Harrisburg Heist has $200,677 in lifetime earnings. By Downbytheseasidde out of the Western Ideal mare Cashaway, Harrisburg Heist was bred by Brittany Farms and Marvin Katz. Trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing, Knox Services, Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi, the win was Harrisburg Heists second in a row and lowered his lifetime mark taken at Oak Grove by a fifth of a second.
There were also four divisions of the $20,000 Buckeye Stallion Series for 3-year-old colt pacers on Saturday.
The fastest division went to Extra Suds in a staggering 1:48.4. Sam Widger took the pinto colt off the gate to settle in fourth while SS Druidstone (Trevor Smith) set the early fractions of :26.3 and :54.2. Pulling first over and sitting second by the 1:21.4 third-quarter, Extra Suds poured it on down the stretch to win by six lengths. Woodrow Blue Chip (Justin Irvine) was second with SS Druidstone finishing third. By Lather Up, Extra Suds now has six wins in 20 lifetime starts and $197,501 in earnings for trainer and lessee Virgil Morgan, Jr.
Morgan also trains Odds On Mad Hatter who won the third division in 1:50.1. The gate-to-wire winner set fractions of :26.3, :54.1 and 1:21.4. Challenged throughout the last half by Unique Catch (Widger) who was parked every step of the way to finish second; Sonnybythesaside (Irvine) was third. Odds On Mad Hatter, by Lather Up, is owned by Odds On Racing and trained by Morgan. The gelding now has $37,135 earned in 15 lifetime starts with six wins.
Seaside Star and Luke Hanners also took their division in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:51.2. Setting fractions of :27, :55.3 and 1:23.3, Seaside Star led Down Two Party (Page) to all points of call and won by a length and three-quarters; Makin Moonshine (Noble) was third. Seaside Star is trained by Dean Glispie for owner Always Finish Second Stable. The Downbytheseaside gelding now has four wins in 24 starts with $77,120 in lifetime earnings.
Copper Penny took his split in 1:51 after making the front just at the :27.1 opening quarter. Leading through fractions of :56.1 and 1:23.4, driver Cam McCown had Copper Penny sprinting away from the field to win by three lengths at 1/9. Cruising Zone (Page) was second with Ahhh Back (Ronnie Gillespie) third. Copper Penny is a homebred by Fool Me Once for Lawrence Litwin who now has five wins in 21 lifetime starts and $73,910 in earnings.
Also on the Saturday card, Little Rocket Man made his Scioto seasonal debut in the $27,000 Open Pace. The 9-year-old gelding lead nearly the entire mile, after being three-wide through the first turn hitting the quarter in :26.1. Going towards a comfortable :54.1 half, the Jeremy Smith put some separation on the field by the 1:21.4 third-quarter. Winning by a length and three-quarters in 1:48.2 with the ear plugs in, Little Rocket Man bested Timeisonmyside (Anthony MacDonald) and a closing Surreal Ideal (Hanners). The reigning Jim Ewart Memorial champion is by Rockin Image and now has $1.834-million earned in 131 lifetime starts. The victory was his 77th in his career. Little Rocket Man is trained by Ken Rucker for Russ Beeman and Jack Freeman. The race also marked Jeremy Smith’s return to the sulky, and winner’s circle, after six weeks away. Smith will be back full-time starting with the Tuesday card.
Racing resumes Tuesday (August 19) with five qualifiers starting at 3:45 p.m., followed by the 14-race card at 5:45 p.m. Later in the week, a special Saturday card on August 23 will host the Moni Maker (for 3-year-old filly trotters), the Nadia Lobell (for 3-year-old filly pacers), the #SendItIn Invitational for aged pacers and the Cleopatra Invitation for mare pacers. All four divisions of 2-year-old Ohio Sires Stakes will also be held on Saturday. The box for Saturday closes Tuesday at 12:00 p.m.
The 90-day 2025 Eldorado Scioto Downs race meet runs through Saturday, September 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, September 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.