Grove City, OH – A dead heat between Go Jim Dandy and Seaside Star highlighted the second leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for 3-year-old male pacers Sunday (June 8) at MGM Northfield Park. The second leg featured five $20,000 divisions and had no repeat winners from the opening leg.
An extremely tight finish in the fifth division had Go Jim Dandy and Seaside Star win in a dead heat with House Of Brix in third as all three tripped the wire in 1:54.3. Driver Kurt Sugg settled Go Jim Dandy in the pocket as My First Fire led the field through the first three calls in :28.0, :56.4, and 1:25.1. Seaside Star with Aaron Merriman was first up going to the halfway mark as first-leg winner and 9-5 betting favorite House Of Brix was sixth. House Of Brix showed some late burst in going three wide en route to drawing even with new leader Seaside Star entering the final stretch. Go Jim Dandy made it three wide with the leaders as they neared the finish and crossed the line with Seaside Star in a result that was too close to call.
Trained by Kimberly Dailey, Go Jim Dandy is the gelded son of Bit Of A Legend N. He has five wins and $56,924 in earnings in 16 lifetime starts and is co-owned by Dailey and JR Stable. The 1:54.3 was a lifetime best for Seaside Star in what was his first win in 16 lifetime starts. The gelded son of Downbytheseaside is trained by K. Dean Glispie for owner Always Finish Second Stable and has $40,720 in lifetime earnings.
In the first division, Johnny Up took the wire-to-wire victory in a lifetime-best 1:52.3 as first-leg winners Woodrow Blue Chip and South Sea finished second and third, respectively. Driven by Tyler Smith, Johnny Up took the lead off the gate and was ahead of the field at the :27.2 quarter and :56.3 half. The 4-5 betting favorite Woodrow Blue Chip went first up heading toward the three-quarter pole but was unable to challenge down the stretch. Johnny Up hit the three-quarter mark in 1:24.3 and won by a length. Trained by Edward Miller, Johnny Up has two wins in four starts this season, increasing his lifetime earnings to $48,200. The Lather Up gelding is owned by Allen Miller.
In the second division, Fly High Cruiser scored his first seasonal win, crossing the line in 1:54. Down Two Party was second followed by Believe In Tom. Driver Dan Noble had Fly High Cruiser in fifth as the field crossed the halfway point with first-leg winner Accuracy By Volume leading the way. Heading toward the three-quarter pole, Accuracy By Volume went off stride, ceding the lead to Believe In Tom. Around the final turn, Fly High Cruiser moved to the outside and passed both Down Two Party and Believe In Tom to win by almost two lengths. The Yankee Cruiser gelding has $34,630 in lifetime earnings and is co-owned by trainer Anette Lorentzon and Tony Hall.
The Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-driven Derby Up took the third division in a lifetime-best 1:54.1, edging Rodeo Jet by a half-length with Whatchagonnado in third. The 9-5 betting favorite Go Accordingly led at the first two calls in :27.4 and :57. Fourth at the halfway mark, Derby Up followed cover behind Fabio Hanover. With Fabio Hanover alongside second-place Rodeo Jet, Derby Up made it three wide and surged past them and Go Accordingly to lead at the 1:25.4 three-quarters. Derby Up held off a strong challenge from Rodeo Jet down the stretch for his second win of the season. The Lather Up gelding is trained by Ryan Miller for owners Miller Racing Stable and Chris Gilbert. He has $28,550 in lifetime earnings.
Austin Hanners drove 1-9 betting favorite Twin B High Tide to his first seasonal win in the fourth division in 1:53.2. Johnny Smash was second followed by Catch The Express. Catch the Express led off the gate, but Hanners drove Twin B High Tide to the lead at the :27.4 quarter. The Alicia Hanners trainee led at each of the next two calls in :56.4 and 1:25.1 en route to a three-length victory. The BSS champion as a freshman, Twin B High Tide is owned by Hanners Racing. The Downbytheseaside colt has hit the board in nine of 11 lifetime starts, recording six wins and $152,395 in earnings.
Other Sunday night action on the 15-race card at Northfield included a pair of $20,000 Open Handicap races. In the Open Handicap Trot, Chris Lems drove Stoney Ridgetop to a win in a lifetime-best 1:53.4. The John Konesky III trainee has 30 wins in 62 lifetime starts with $155,948 in earnings. Wrenn Jr. drove Wicked Character to victory in the Open Handicap Pace in 1:51.2. Trained by Ron Burke, Wicked Character has 18 wins and $459,675 in earnings in 66 lifetime starts.
Wrenn Jr. and Merriman tripled up to lead all drivers in victories on Sunday. Smith and Noble recorded two wins each. Burke doubled up as the lone trainer with multiple wins on the night.
The 2025 Buckeye Stallion series continues Monday night (June 9) with five divisions of 3-year-old colt trotters at MGM Northfield Park. Each division carries a purse of $20,000. The 16-race card begins at 6 p.m. (EDT).