by Keith Gisser, director of publicity, Northfield Park

Northfield, OH — Northfield Park hosted Ohio’s $1 million Super Night on Saturday, September 1, with eight $100,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Championships and $200,000 in Scarlet And Gray Stakes, and track records were the theme throughout.

The evening started with a pair of Scarlet and Gray Stakes for the girls and both saw new divisional track records set. Greg Grismore helped Tady Strikes Again ($2.80) knock a fifth of a second off her own 5-year-old and up track record with an impressive 1:56.3 win in the $41,500 Mare Trot. It was the third consecutive Scarlet and Gray title for the Striking Sahbra mare, who is trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr. Owned by the Barnett Zimmerman Llc, she bested Whotookwhat and That Fly’n Angel.

In the $45,000 Scarlet and Gray Mare Pace, Don’t Blame Her ($4.00) overcame post 11, and held off a fast-charging Anita Rush, to give trainer Morgan and driver Grismore a distaff Scarlet and Gray sweep. Owned by the Matt-E-Mike Stables of Gallipolis, Don’t Blame Her’s 1:52.2 mile erased Empress Osborne and MM Grande from the record books as the track’s fastest 4-year-old pacing mares.

The first $100,000 Ohio Sires Championship saw the Corleone filly Carly’s Crown ($4.20), in line to Chris Page, post a gate-to-wire, 1:59.2 win to take the 2-year-old distaff trotting title over She’s Not Red and Norma’s Rose. The win was her sixth in seven starts for trainer William Jarbo’s Jarbo Enterprises of Gadsden, Alabama. Her bankroll rolled over $108,000 with the win.

The freshman pacing fillies were next and Kay’s Yankee Lou ($11.40) swept by pacesetter Yankie Pankee BB as they approached the three-quarter pole and rolled on to a 1:56.1 win in her $100,000 Championship, her fourth victory in seven career starts. Brandon Piguet trains the daughter of Yankee Cruiser for Gwinnie Lou Stables and James Davis. Aaron Merriman drove her to victory over Corner Cruiser and Sand Feathers.

Greg Grismore picked up a Sires title, his fourth win on the card, with 3-year-old filly B V’s Sister ($3.00), a daughter of Big Victory, in the $100,000 sophomore filly trot. Her 1:56 mile was a lifetime mark, as she went by leader Katie’s Red Rose in the stretch, while Tilly Bomb was third. Owned by Barnett Zimmerman Llc and trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr., she has now earned $151,732.

Overwhelming favorite Osborne’s Gypsy ($2.10) did not let the fans who made her 1-19 down in the $100,000 3-year-old filly pace. She posted a gate-to-wire, 1:53.3 win, easily besting Sams Angel and Evening Jet. Eric Hamlet called on Ryan Stahl to drive the filly, who is now 13 of 15 lifetime for Northfield Wall of Fame owner Jerry Osborne, while banking $220,462. She is a daughter of On The Attack, from Myopia’s Mop.

Longshot players got their thrills in the $100,000 2-year-old colt and gelding trot Ohio Sires Stakes Final when 1-9 Rose Run Jeriah faded to sixth after leading most of the way. That opened the door for David Myers to steer Sunland Dakota ($14.80) to the 1:59.1 win. Combined with Master Of Victory and Merited Victory, the trifecta returned $751.00. A Corleone gelding, Sunland Dakota is owned and trained by Michael Sowers of McArthur, Ohio.

Already a divisional track record holder, Hello Yankie ($2.40) led at every call as he used a :27.3 final panel to best B J Cruiser and C’mon Lew W in 1:54.1 in the $100,000 freshman pacing colt final. Sylvia Burke, Frank Baldachino and Louis Starr, Jr. share title on the Yankee Cruiser gelding, who is five of seven in his career. Ryan Stahl picked up his second championship of the night, driving the winner for trainer Mickey Burke.

Trottin Troy ($27.20), proved that the sophomore trotting class was a well-balanced one as he went gate-to-wire in a lifetime best and track record 1:56.2. He outdistanced Heza Challenger and Northmedo Hoo-ray in the all Chip Chip Hooray-sired trifecta. Jim Arledge, Jr. trains the winner for Jean McKee of Newark, Ohio, and called on Del S. Miller to pilot.

In the final $100,000 Final, for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, KF St Patrick ($2.20) found the title that eluded him as a 2-year-old, pacing a 1:51.2 mile, which equals the fastest mile ever by an Ohio-bred over the Flying Turns. Buckeye One posted a similar mile in winning the Battle of Lake Erie in 2006. KF St Patrick, trained by co-owner Mile Medors, drew off in the stretch, as the Nobleland Sam gelding bested pocket sitting Night Train and Travis Lou. Breeder Hank Kauffman shares ownership of the winner of $229,556 (and 18 of 22 starts).

The evening wrapped up with Scarlet and Gray Stakes for male competitors. World champion Dunkster ($2.80) dominated the $47,500 Horse Trot with a 1:56.3 effort that headed a trifecta with Master Pine and Master’s Light underneath. Dean Davis owns the four-time Scarlet and Gray champ, and Kurt Sugg trains and drives the Striking Sahbra gelding, who at age 9, has earned nearly $760,000 in his career.

The evening concluded with an upset as Ron Jeremy ($17.40) got up in the stretch to win the final of the $55,000 Scarlet and Gray Horse Pace. Ron Jeremy closed from well off the pace to get the upset victory in 1:53.1. Owned by Charles F. and Charles D. Schrader of Mogadore, Ohio, Michael Palone trains the winning 6-year-old and called on Tony Hall to drive. Stringtowner was second and Coal Black Beauty finished third.