Hightstown, NJ – On To Norway is ready to get back on the road again.
After making his past three starts at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, where he was an Indiana Sire Stakes champion last season, the 4-year-old returns to the Grand Circuit for Saturday’s (Sept. 12) $250,000 Grade 2 Charlie Hill Memorial, for older trotters, at Eldorado Scioto Downs. The Hill Memorial is part of the Ohio Super Night card, which also includes the $260,000 Grade 2 Jim Ewart Memorial Pace and eight Ohio Sire Stakes championships.
The action begins at 5:25 p.m. (EDT) on Saturday at Scioto. FOX Sports 2 will broadcast races from the five-eighths-mile oval from 7:30-11 p.m.
On To Norway has won 32 of 33 races dating back to April 2025 and brings a five-race win streak to the Hill Memorial. Those victories include the Grade 1 Hambletonian Maturity on July 11 and the Grade 2 Graduate Series final on July 4, both at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. His Graduate triumph came in 1:48.3, the fastest mile ever trotted in North America.
Since the Hambletonian Maturity, he has won the Open at Hoosier Park on Aug. 8 and Sept. 5, with a victory in the first leg of the Indiana Sire Stakes for older trotters between those races on Aug. 21.
On Saturday at Scioto Downs, On To Norway will leave from post 2 in a field of seven, with Yannick Gingras driving for trainer Ron Burke. The son of Muscle Massive-One Class Act is the 2-1 morning-line favorite.
“He looked really good the other day,” co-owner Frank Baldachino said, referring to On To Norway’s one-length win on Sept. 5, which followed a nose victory in the Indiana Sire Stakes event. “He was a little sick the previous start. Last week, he came back pretty authoritatively and won pretty handy the way he usually does. He’s coming into the Hill in top form, and we drew well, so we’re expecting a top-flight performance from him.”
Although On To Norway has faced older horses this season in his Hoosier Park starts, the Hill will be his first time facing older rivals in open stakes action as the Graduate Series and Hambletonian Maturity were restricted to 4-year-olds.
“This season couldn’t have gone any better so far,” Baldachino said. “He’s danced all the dances that we’ve had for him so far. The Charlie Hill is the next steppingstone. He’s been beating older horses in Indiana that are no slouches, but not to this level of competition in the older ranks. This will be his first big test against older horses, and I expect he’ll do well.”
On To Norway’s wins in the Hambletonian Maturity and Graduate final both came by a neck over Super Chapter, who has since gone on to capture two Grade 1 stakes against older foes, the John Cashman Memorial on Aug. 8 at the Meadowlands and the Maple Leaf Trot on Sept. 5 at Woodbine Mohawk Park. On To Norway was not staked to either event. Super Chapter’s next start is Saturday in the Grade 1 MGM Yonkers International Trot.
“Super Chapter is a super horse,” Baldachino said. “And he had the momentum down the lane like he was going to go by Norway in both their races, and Norway just kicked it into another gear when he moved up to him and was drawing away at the wire. That’s his greatest attribute – he just does not want to lose – and that’s been reinforced against the best competition in North America as a 4-year-old.
“I don’t care what horse you are, to stay sharp and go these types of miles against these types of horses, week in and week out, for almost a year and a half now, he’s a pretty incredible animal. We don’t take him for granted. We appreciate him 100 percent. We’re all looking forward to him going again Saturday.”
Baldachino owns On To Norway with the Burke Racing Stable, Black And White Stable, and Michael Rosenthal. On To Norway has nine wins and a second-place finish in 10 races this year and 36 victories in 43 career starts. He has earned $1.08 million.
Saturday’s Hill Memorial field also includes last year’s winner, 9-year-old Hillexotic, as well as Emoticon Legacy, a 2025 O’Brien Award winner in Canada, and Mr Mouton, who is the only horse to defeat On To Norway in his past 33 races. Emoticon Legacy and Mr Mouton are both 4-year-olds.
Emoticon Legacy, who finished third in the Maple Leaf Trot, is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line and will leave from post 3 with Scott Zeron driving for trainer Luc Blais. Mr Mouton, 7-2 on the morning line, will start from post 1 with trainer/driver Åke Svanstedt while Hillexotic, 4-1, goes from post 4 with Austin Hanners driving for trainer Todd Luther.
The Charlie Hill Memorial is race 11 on Saturday’s card. The Jim Ewart Memorial, for older pacers, will follow two races later.
Four-year-old Dandy Ideal, who won the Grade 1 Dan Patch Stakes on Aug. 14 at Hoosier Park and finished third in the Grade 3 Always B Miki Pace a week later at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Jason Bartlett will drive the son of American Ideal-OK Heavenly for trainer Hunter Oakes.
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