by Taylor Johnston, for Scioto Downs

Columbus, OH — Eldorado Scioto Downs Gaming kicked off opening weekend on Friday (May 12) with a $25,000 Open Trot and a $25,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace while Saturday (May 13) included a $20,000 pacing contest for older horses.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Although there were overcast skies on Friday evening, Saturday was a picture evening for competition at Scioto Downs.

On Friday night, seven competitive trotters took the stage for the seventh race. The Dnieper (post five) quickly took the lead over Tricky Nick and Boffin, but the battle was on until the end. It was Dnieper who won the war by going wire-to-wire to win in 1:54. Owner/driver/trainer Brady Galliers steered Dnieper to a new lifetime best of 1:54.

An ambitious group of nine pacers took the field in Friday’s eighth race. American Girl maintained pressure over Wild Wanda, who fought tooth and nail right up to the finish line. Driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. was responsible for sending American Girl, an 8-year-old mare, to the winner’s circle stopping the clock in 1:52. She is trained by Tyler George and owned by Darla Gaskin.

Saturday night’s feature was a $20,000 race for horses and geldings, which brought together nine determined pacers in the evening’s third race. The favorite, at 3-1, was Lex Vegas, with Chris Page holding the lines. Caution Signs took the early lead out of the gate up until the after the half going in :54.4. Lex Vegas followed along until the top of stretch when Page got him to the front of the pack to win the race in 1:52.1 to meet owner/trainer Steve Carter for the winner’s circle photo.

This week the rivalry continues for drivers Chris Page and Josh Sutton as they start the meet battling head-to-head for the top driving position here at Scioto. In the 2016 meet the two drivers made it enjoyable for the horsemen, fans and gamblers until the last race of the 2016 race season as Page and Sutton were tied with 171 wins. The last race of the evening concluded it was Sutton, who beat Page with 172 wins.

Page reflected, “Boy was that a heart breaker.”

Starting the 2017 meet Page quickly came out on top with more winning drives than Sutton.

“I need to thank the owners and the whole nine yards, everything is just clicking right now,” said Page, when asked about how the meet is going so far.

At this point in the season, the competition between the drivers has yet to heat up.

“It’s friendly racing right now, when it gets down to the wire a little closer to the end is when the competition starts,” said Sutton on how he felt about the rivalry.

For a complete race schedule, visit the Scioto Downs website at www.sciotodowns.com.