Columbus, OH – All four divisions of the Next Generation for freshmen Ohio sired horses on Saturday (July 4) at Eldorado Scioto Downs were tightly contested, creating exciting races for those trackside and who joined to watch via the simulcast show or on Fox Sports.
The glamour boys were the last division raced with Don’ttruckwithme winning in 1:52.2. It was the second straight Next Generation win for breeder Judy Roegner and broodmare Age of Consent, as I’llbetyourboots won the 2025 division in 1:52.
Initially getting away third, Don’ttruckwithme was not content to sit and after getting a little rough gaited, driver Chris Lems moved him to the top by the :27.2 opening quarter. As the field straightened to go down the stretch for the first time, Atlee Bender continued to move Atlantic Ivey, who had yet to see a pylon, on from fourth and took the lead before the :56.1 half. North Rim (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr) made a first over bid heading to the 1:25.2 third-quarter but couldn’t get past the pacesetter. As the field straightened out down the stretch, Lems angled Don’ttruckwithme and the pair posted a :26.4 last quarter to win by a half-length. Atlantic Ivey was second, with North Rim third.
“I was a little surprised, scoring down he was plenty aggressive; he had an ear hood on so I was prepared for the worst,” said Lems. “But actually in the race, he drove really nicely. He left, let a couple go, re-moved, let another one go; I couldn’t ask for much more.”
It was the first start, and win, in the Next Generation for trainer Daren Harvey. A $37,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from Roegner by Wayne Mast, Eden Acres Farmstead and Kirk Nichols, Don’ttruckwithme prepped for Saturday’s event with two qualifiers, the most recent being a 1:56.2 victory. Don’ttruckwithme is a gelding by Catch The Fire and his dam, Age Of Consent, is by Real Desire.
Don’ttruckwithme went off as the 2-1 second favorite and paid $6.80 to win.
Another trainer, Vernon Beachy, won his first Next Generation race when trotting filly Made For More won the first of the Next Generation races on the card in 1:56.4.
Lolly and Ronnie Gillespie set the early fractions of :28.4 and :59.1 as Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. was content getting Made For More away third. The pair came first up down the backside and as the field hit the 1:28.2 third quarter, Made For More was just a half-length off the lead. Coming down the stretch, Made For More continued to advance, winning by a half-length over a fast closing Kissme Ifyoucan (Austin Hanners); Dublins Ferani (Anthony MacDonald), who got the pocket trip, finished third.
Made For More is owned by breeder John Schlabach and is by Long Tom out of the Chapter Seven mare Obsessed Blue Chip. The filly prepped for the Next Generation by winning two qualifiers in 2:03 and 2:02.3.
“She did that really easy tonight actually,” said Wrenn. “She handled it well with a lot of fireworks going on, first time racing at night. You’re not sure what to expect with a 2-year-old filly, but she handled it well and raced great.”
Made For More went off at 8-1 and paid $19.80 to win.
Wrenn made it a habit of getting away third and making a move down the backside when he took the very next Next Generation, for 2-year-old filly pacers, in 1:52.3. Tempting Flames and Tony Hall were the first to make the lead but yielded early to Breadnbutterz (Brett Miller) as the field headed towards the :27.3 opening quarter. Breadnbutterz continued to lead at the :57.3 half but Wrenn had Real Classy on the move and on top by the 1:25 third quarter. Tempting Flames came up the passing lane to make a bid for the lead but fell just a quarter length short; Breadnbutterz held on for third.
Real Classy, a homebred for Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Let It Ride Stables, gave trainer Ron Burke his 10th Next Generation win. The Downbytheseaside filly out of the Real Desire mare Real Diva prepped for the race with a couple qualifiers, her most recent winning in 1:58.2, coming home in :27.4.
Real Classy went off at 7-1 and paid $17.40 to win.
Trainer Chris Beaver got his second Next Generation win with Commanders Moni when Mike Wilder steered the colt trotter to victory in 1:55.1. Getting away third, Wilder watched as Lou Armstrong (MacDonald) set early fractions of :28 and :57.2. Walks The Fire (Wrenn) put the pressure on and the duo on top battled it out down the backside. Wilder continued to sit third along the rail and by the 1:25 third quarter, pulled to make his bid and won by two lengths over Satan’s Fury (Lems); Sweet T’s Ranger (Chris Page) was fourth placed third due to Lou Armstrong being placed back for going inside multiple pylons.
“He makes my job real easy,” said Wilder after the race. “I had a good idea if he had to go there, I thought he might (go in :55.1). He trotted a :28.1 backside (in his last start) that particular day and he felt like he was going in :30 seconds, so I knew the motor was in there.”
Commander’s Moni was a $20,000 purchase at the Fall Blooded Horse Sale from Midland Acres. By Ready for Moni out of the CR Commando mare Kelsey’s Commando, the colt is owned by Commanders Moni Stable, Mark Schwartaz and Mark Robinson.
Commanders Moni went off at 10-1 and paid $22.40 to win.
The first leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes was historically over the 4th of July weekend, but when the Next Generation was started, in 2020 for pacers and 2021 for trotters, it became the first outing for Ohio-sired 2-year-olds. This year the first leg of the OHSS for 2-year-old trotters will be held July 11 at Scioto and for 2-year-old pacers, the colts will race on July 12 and fillies on July 13 at Northfield Park.
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.