by Dean A. Hoffman, for Scioto Downs

Columbus, OH — Dance With Dan paced the fastest mile of the 2009 season at Scioto Downs on Saturday night (August 1) as he won a division of the Director of Agriculture Pace in 1:51.2 for driver Rodney Bolon. The son of Precious Bunny hit the wire 3-1/4 lengths ahead of his rivals.

The Saturday night program wrapped up three power-packed evenings of Ohio State Fair stakes at the Columbus oval.

Dance With Dan, trained by Kent McGee, who co-owns him with Charles Minger, shot to the front after an opening fraction of :26.1 and then opened up six lengths on his pursuers passing the three-quarter pole. He was eased to the wire ahead of Standupnkissme and Nicole’s Dreamboat.

There were two other divisions of the Director of Agriculture for Ohio-sired sophomore pacers. The first went to Cruisin Sage, steered by Chris Page for trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. and the Charging Hard Stable. The son of Yankee Cruiser swung wide on the final turn to sprint home a winner over Sadies Legacy and Four Hoof Drive in 1:54.

The other Director of Agriculture went to Special D and driver Aaron Merriman for partners James Koehler, Daniel Wozniak, and William Robinson. The gelded son of Stand Forever held on to win by a head in 1:54.1 over Max’s Cruiser and Cruzin Bayou. Brian Brown trains the winner who has now won seven of his eight 2009 starts.

Freshman pacing colts were also in the Saturday night spotlight in three splits of the Buckeye State Pace at Scioto. Doc’s Yankee remained unbeaten in his third lifetime start as clocked a 1:54 mile with a 1-1/2 length win over Standing Tough and Ohso What. Bet down to 1-5 odds, Doc’s Yankee lived up to his billing for driver Kyle Ater, trainer Ron Potter, and the Bay Racing Stable.

The opening round of the Buckeye State Pace went to Yarrows Cruiser, who went off at odds of 43-1 from the outside post seven. He was reserved off the early pace by driver Chris Page and then rocketed down the stretch to win by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:55.1. Larry Deyermand trains the winning colt for Jay Ankeney. Lonesome Cruiser finished second and Gunmans Bandit was third.

B N Bad proved that he has both an accelerator and a brake in his 1:55.2 Buckeye State Pace win. Driver Tony Hall shot him to the front and then tapped the brakes during a second quarter in :30.1. Hall stepped on the accelerator in the third quarter and the son of Soho stepped away from his rivals with a :27.1 panel. He was a half-length clear at the wire with Cruise On Osborne second and Northmedo Cruiser third. Bruce Riegle trains the colt for his wife Diana and Leslie Stewart.

Scioto’s leading driver Chris Page won five of the evening’s first six races and added another score later in the evening to make it a half-dozen trips to the winner’s circle.