Columbus, OH – For his second start in a row, Big Ranger lowered the Eldorado Scioto Downs track record for 3-year-old colt trotters – this time tripping the beam in 1:50.3. The win was in the second $75,000 division of the Ohio Sires Stakes.
Tim Tetrick got the call on Big Ranger after switching to the Anette Lorentzon barn after his last start. The pair got away third off the car from post three, but with a breaker, settled in for the pocket trip going to the :26.3 opening quarter. Just before the :56 half, Tetrick pulled Big Ranger and the pair sprinted away from the field by the 1:22.4 third-quarter. Big Ranger won by six lengths over Tom Largo (Chris Lems); Rose Run Boom (Luke Hanners) was third.
Big Ranger is owned by Madison Global and now has three wins in five seasonal starts. The $25,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Spring Haven Farm is by In Range out of the Tactical Landing mare Big Blue Bird.
The first OHSS division went to Soulful Saul and Hanners in 1:53.3. The pair went straight to the top and led through fractions of :28, :57.3 and 1:25 before winning by two and three-quarters over Knob Creek Moni (Trevor Smith), with Water Slide (Brett Miller) finishing third. It was the first seasonal victory out of four starts for the son of Ready For Moni out of the Tom Ridge mare Celebrity Obsesion. Trained by Steve Carter for Jay Mossbarger, Peggy Carter and Philip Skinner, Soulful Saul now has $142,309 in lifetime earnings.
Saturday’s (June 13) card also hosted the $30,000 Jerry Knappenberger final for non-winners of one colt pacers. Sunnys In The Sea turned a perfect pocket trip into victory to cross the line first in 1:52. Driven by Tyler Smith for co-owner and trainer Ron Steck, Bootville Stables and Jeffrey Breece, the Downbytheseaside gelding won by a neck over Eddie Nine Toes (Miller).
The 91-day 2026 Eldorado Scioto Downs regular season runs through Saturday, September 19. Races are held Tuesday-Saturday, with a special holiday card on Labor Day instead of the Tuesday card that week. The track will then re-open for the Breeders Crown, with eliminations held October 16-17 and the finals October 23-24. More information about all the racing action at Scioto can be found on the Eldorado Scioto Downs website.