Delaware, OH — A total of $140,000 was up for grabs as the Delaware County Fair hosted the fifth leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for male trotters on the third day of its five-day meet in Delaware, Ohio, on Tuesday (Sept. 16). The 15-race card featured three $20,000 divisions of sophomores and four $20,000 divisions of freshmen.
Smoke One For Me (Dan Noble) recorded the fastest mile among the 3-year-old male trotters, winning the second division in a lifetime best 1:55. This was his second BSS win of the season, joining his second-leg victory in 1:57. After leaving from the second tier, the Long Tom gelding was in fifth place as the field passed the first quarter in :28.1 before moving second-over going to the :57.3 half. Smoke One For Me made it three-wide at the front as the field hit the three-quarter pole in 1:26.1. The Christi Noble trainee opened up a three-length lead going into the final stretch en route to winning by more than seven lengths. Nelli Up (Kayne Kauffman) was second followed by Amazing Tom (Ronnie Gillespie) in third.
It was the eighth career win for Smoke One For Me. He has $72,905 in earnings and is owned by Norman Rae Racing.
Royaltimestwo (Tyler Smith) also notched his second BSS of win of the season, taking the first division in 1:56.2. The What The Hill gelding won a division in the fourth leg in 1:54.2. Shoot Some Hoop (Chris Page) led the field past the first three calls with fractions of :28, :57.2, and 1:26.3. Royaltimestwo was seventh at the quarter pole but continued working up the field along the outside and was in third place entering the final stretch, trailing the leader by three lengths. Remaining on the outside, Royaltimestwo used a late surge to surpass Shoot Some Hoop as they neared the finish for a three-quarter-length victory. Illegally Funded (Kauffman) was third.
Royaltimestwo has three career wins with $37,685 in earnings. He is trained by Marion Chupp for owner Marlin Miller.
Countryofmars (Page) won the third division in a lifetime best 1:55.2. The Jason Borowski trainee was in third place as Rose Run Ari (Austin Hanners) led the field past the first two calls in :27.4 and :56.3. Working first-over, Countryofmars took the lead going to the 1:25.4 three-quarters and remained in front the rest of the way. The Marseille gelding won by more than two lengths with Uncle Moneybags (Smith) in second followed by Rose Run Arch (Chris Lems) in third.
Countryofmars has two career wins and $49,971 in earnings. He is owned by James and Patty Borowski.
BSS 2-Year-Old Male Trot
Tom Largo (Lems) recorded the fastest mile among the four divisions of 2-year-old colt trotters, winning the third division in a lifetime best 1:55.2. That was the second BSS win of the season for the Long Tom gelding, who also scored a victory in the third leg in 1:57.1. Uncle Danny (Anthony MacDonald) was the leader at the quarter pole in :28.4, but Tom Largo moved to the outside and went out in front going to the :56.3 half. He led the rest of the way and won by two lengths over Jackie Jann (Wilbur Yoder) with Uncle Danny in third.
Trained by Scott Cox for owners Jughead Stables, G. Peters, and Robert Kubiak, Tom Largo has four wins in seven starts this season with $62,900 in earnings.
“He’s starting to come into his own,” Cox said of Tom Largo during a post-race interview with the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association. “He doesn’t get started too quick, but he trots the back half really well.”
Dublins Holiday (Justin Irvine) won the first division by a half length in 1:57.4 for his first career victory in eight starts. The Ready For Moni colt took the pocket trip as Dan’s Victory (Smith) led at the first three calls with fractions of :29, :58.4 and 1:28.1. Dublins Holiday trailed by a length entering the final stretch but moved to the outside and edged Dan’s Victory at the line. Buy Me A Boat (Aaron Merriman) was third.
With the win, Dublins Holiday increased his career earnings to $20,890. He is trained by Logan Ebersole for owner Ronald Rust.
Dublins Striker (Smith) also recorded a time of 1:57.4 in winning the fourth division for his first career victory. The What The Hill gelding has $21,813 in lifetime earnings and is trained by Herman Hagerman for owners Anthony Miller and Hagerman Racing. Eckert Hill Brady (Sam Widger) led the field past the first three calls with fractions of :28.4, :59 and 1:28.1. Dublins Striker entered the final stretch in second, trailing by just a length, before moving out of the pocket and passing the leader en route to winning by almost two lengths. Eckert Hill Brady was second with RG’s Juggernaut (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) in third.
Time Has Come (Kurt Sugg) won the second division in a lifetime best 1:58.2, edging Spirit Mission (Page) by half a length with Cash Money Hall (Kauffman) in third. The Uncle Peter colt led wire to wire, posting fractions of :28.4, :59.1 and 1:28.1. He has two wins in three starts with $14,728 in earnings and is trained by Miles Wollam for owners Martin Wollam and Acadia Farms.
“He was a little sore early, so we backed off with him because we thought he was a nice horse, and he came through here,” Wollam said of Time Has Come in a post-race interview.
Long Tom sons Longtimecomin and Buckeye Baron took two of the three divisions of the Ohio Fair Racing Conference for 2-year-old male trotters. Longtimecomin won the first division in 2:00.3 with trainer Ryan Stahl in the sulky. It was his first career win in 10 starts. Buckeye Baron was victorious in the third division in a lifetime best 2:00.4 with Page driving for Timothy Grubb. He has hit the board in 10 of 11 seasonal starts with five wins.
In Range gelding Perfect Range posted the fastest mile among the three divisions, winning the second division in 1:59.4 with Luke Hanners in the sulky for Bret Schwartz. It was his second career victory in nine starts.
Long Tom gelding Flying Tom won the second of two divisions of the OFRC for 3-year-old colt trotters, marking his fourth career victory. He finished in 1:58.2 with Page driving for Ron Burke.
Enterprise gelding Spend The Prize won the first division in a lifetime-best 1:56.1 with Widger driving for Rosy Weaver. He has hit the board in 26 of 32 career starts with 16 wins.
The five-day Delaware County Fair meet continues Wednesday (Sept. 17) with a 22-race card starting at 11 a.m. The card is highlighted by two $25,000 Jugette eliminations and the $280,000 Jugette, and it also includes four $20,000 divisions of the fifth leg of the BSS for freshman colt pacers. Catch all the racing coverage on the OHHA YouTube channel and Facebook page as well as HarnessRacingOhio.com.