by Myles Linderman, for Scioto Downs

Columbus, OH — Warmer temperatures have brought some fast miles to the five-eighths-mile oval at Scioto Downs Racino. This past weekend two track records fell.

The records started falling on Friday night (May 22) when the 4-year-old trotting horse Il Sogno Dream scorched the track in 1:52.2 for the nation’s leading dash-winning driver Aaron Merriman. Il Sogno Dream was making his first start of the year for trainer Chris Beaver after he made more than $300,000 in his 3-year-old campaign.

Southwind Pepino won his first race of the year in Friday’s Open Trot to the tune of 1:52.3. With trainer Hugh “Sandy” Beatty at the lines, the local Scioto Downs favorite won by six lengths to post his first victory of the year.

The fast miles carried over to Saturday night (May 25) when Santa Fe Beachboy set the track record for an older pacing horse with a mile of 1:49.2. The stout son of Somebeachsomewhere is trained by red hot Brian Brown and was driven in the blistering mile by Ronnie Wrenn Jr.

Two Open II paces were contested on Saturday night with the first division going to Atta Boy Dan with a time of 1:50.4. Atta Boy Dan took the lead just past the quarter pole and never looked back for driver Chris Page and trainer Ron Burke.

The second division of the Open II pace saw Neat get up in the final strides to best Doctor Carter in 1:51.4 with driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. With the win, Neat has now banked more than $37,000 this year for trainer Ryan Miller.

Scioto Downs will continue the exciting racing action this week with a 2 p.m. post time on Memorial Day, as well as a 6:30 p.m. post time Wednesday through Saturday.