Grove City, OH — Ron Burke stablemates Harrisburg Heist, Lindy Dragonwater, and Seaside Shuffle took three of the four pacing divisions in the 2025 Ohio Sires Stakes Scarlet Championships at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway on Saturday (Sept. 27).
Harrisburg Heist (Todd McCarthy) recorded the fastest mile among the four divisions, winning the $400,000 colt pace championship in a lifetime-best and track-record 1:48.3.
“Ronnie (Burke) was really confident with the horse going into tonight,” McCarthy said. “He said to me, ‘If you can kind of figure out a trip where you can be close, I think he’s got a shot.’ He had him spot on tonight, and it was a fun race.”
With betting odds of 22-1, it was an upset win for the Downbytheseaside gelding. Swingtown (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was half a length back in second followed by Sippinonsearoc (Yannick Gingras) in third. All three horses are Burke trainees. Swingtown led the field at the quarter pole in :25.3, but Sippinonsearoc was in front at the next two calls in fractions of :53.4 and 1:21.2. Third at the halfway mark and second at the three-quarter pole, Harrisburg Heist made it three wide down the stretch and surged to victory.
“It felt really good down the backstretch there, and he really dug for me. At that point, I figured we were going to be pretty close there at the wire,” McCarthy said. “He raced huge. Full credit to the horse.”
It was the ninth career win for Harrisburg Heist, increasing his earnings to $483,777. He is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Phillip Collura and Weaver Bruscemi.
The colt pace was the lone $400,000 division, as it did not have a consolation race on Friday. The remaining divisions featured a purse of $300,000.
Lindy Dragonwater (Chris Page) won the freshman colt pace championship in 1:51, matching his lifetime best and setting new stakes and track records. The Downbytheseaside gelding posted victories in three of the five legs of the OSS this season and has five wins in eight starts overall with $290,680 in earnings.
“I’ve just been real patient with him and have done things his way. I’ve let him progress at his own pace, and it paid off tonight with a track record,” Page said. “Once I got the lead, I kept things rolling right along.”
I’llbetyourboots (Gingras) led at the quarter pole in :26.3, but Lindy Dragonwater was in front the rest of the way, recording fractions of :55 and 1:22.4 en route to winning by two lengths over second-place When Is Parade (Dexter Dunn) with Backninebar (Tim Tetrick) in third. Crocodile Station (Wrenn Jr.), who was vying to complete an Ohio Triple Crown-winning season, was fourth. Lindy Dragonwater is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Beasty LLC, and Bradley Grant.
Another offspring of Downbytheseaside, Seaside Shuffle (Wrenn Jr.), took the freshman filly pace championship in a lifetime-best 1:51.3, setting a new track record. She’safirewoman (Luke Hanners), who entered 5-for-5 in the OSS this season, led at the first three calls with fractions of :27.1, :56, and 1:24. But after taking the pocket trip, Seaside Shuffle moved into the passing lane and raced side by side with She’safirewoman down the stretch toward a photo finish. Seaside Shuffle edged She’safirewoman by a nose. Laude Da (Gingras) was third. Seaside Shuffle entered with two OSS wins on the season and has now hit the board in eight of nine starts with four victories and $313,062 in earnings. She is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services, and RAS Racing.
“This is fantastic,” Kris Brechler, of Knox Services, said after the win. “She had been racing some really good competition in Lexington and holding her own, so I thought she would be good tonight.”
McCarthy scored a second driving win with Prolific Fire in the sophomore filly pace championship. Trained by Todd Luther for Greg Luther Racing, the Catch The Fire filly crossed the line in a lifetime-best and stakes-record 1:50.
“She is a very nice filly. She behaved herself well and has a great attitude,” McCarthy said. “This was my first time driving her, and it was a pleasure.”
Prolific Fire took the pocket trip as Odds On Chesapeake (Dunn), who scored wins in four of the five legs of the OSS this season, led the way at the first three calls in fractions of :26.3, :55, and 1:22.3. That duo separated itself from the rest of the field entering the final stretch. Moving to the outside of Odds On Chesapeake, Prolific Fire used a late charge to win by three quarters of a length.
“She just felt really good coming off the turn,” McCarthy said. “I knew she could give a pretty good kick late, and we were in the right spot, and it worked out.”
Skywalker Sea (Austin Hanners) was third, while 2024 2-year-old OSS champion and Filly Pacer of the Year Odds On Hialeah (L. Hanners) placed fifth.
Coming off winning the Ohio Breeders Championship by 10 lengths at Delaware, Prolific Fire has now hit the board in 15 of 23 lifetime starts with five wins and $417,445 in earnings. Luther liked her chances going into Saturday’s race.
“Her last two starts have been really good, and with the way she trained this week when we drew the rail, I knew we were going to be in a great spot,” he said.