Columbus, OH — Saturday (July 3) is the time for 2-year-old pacers to shine in The Next Generation at Eldorado Scioto Downs. Nine filly pacers face off in race six, with nine pacing colts and geldings going for the lion’s share of the $150,000 purse in race 10.

Pocono invader Lightning Leia is the 4-1 morning line favorite filly from post two. Curtis Salonick photo.

Pocono invader Lightning Leia is the 4-1 morning line favorite filly from post two. She has had one successful qualifier and one pari-mutuel win for trainer Travis Alexander. Her pari-mutuel start on June 21 was a winning effort in 1:54.2 with a :28.3 last quarter. Matt Kakaley has piloted her to two wins and is also shipping into town to race her. Lightning Leia, who is by Downbytheseaside out of the Bettor’s Delight mare D D Delightful, was bred and is owned by Fiddler’s Creek Stables.

Sleepwithoneyeopen (Ronnie Wrenn Jr./Clarence Foulk) and Sea Silk (Chris Page/Ron Burke) are both at 5-1 on the morning line as the co-second choice.

Sleepwithoneyeopen (Well Said-Fava) was a $20,000 Ohio Selected Jug Sale purchase for owners Foulk Stables and William Hartt from breeder William Walters.

Sea Silk (Downbytheseaside-Silk Purse) was a $47,000 Ohio Selected Jug Sale purchase from breeder Steiner Stock Farm. Owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Hatfield Stables look to duplicate their success from Friday (July 2) when they won the Next Generation for 2-year-old filly trotters with Be My Baby Now.

Sling Shock (Downbytheseaside-Shocking Beauty) is the 9-2 morning line favorite colt pacer. Dan Noble will drive for trainer Christi Noble. Purchased for $60,000 from the Ohio Selected Jug Sale by owners Michael Cimaglio, William Richardson, William Salmeri and Rhonda Gilmartin, Sling Shock has two winning qualifiers, both in 1:55.4 at Scioto.

JL’s Cruisecontrol is one of three horses going off at 5-1 as the second choice in the colt pace. Conrad photo.

There is a three-way tie for second choice on the morning line at 5-1. JL’s Cruisecontrol (Well Said-JL Cruise The Nite) will be driven by Brett Miller for Virgil Morgan Jr. The pair leave from post two for owners Carl Howard, J. Robert Darrow, Robert Wehner and Larry Wills.

Risenshine Seaseide (Downbytheseaside-Vivid Shine) leaves from post four for driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and trainer Brian Brown for owner Hutchison Harness.

Leaving from post seven, Springbridge Dragn (Fear The Dragon-Stonebridge Damsel) races for Chris Page and Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, William Donovan and Joe Sbrocco.

Also on Saturday’s card is the $22,000 Open Pace with Ocean Rock (Dan Noble), four-time winner Gold Digger King (Tyler Smith), and Bllack Hole (Brett Miller) poised to battle.

There is a $9,029 carryover for the 20-cent Super Hi-5 in race four.

Free program pages are available on the Scioto Downs website.

Scioto will host a special Sunday race card on July 4 with a 2 p.m. post. The complete 2021 race schedule can be viewed here.