Grove City, OH – Odds On Chesapeake scored her fourth Ohio Sires Stakes win of the season on Saturday (Sept. 6) as Eldorado Scioto Downs hosted the fifth and final leg for three divisions of sophomores.
The 16-race card featured two $65,000 divisions each of 3-year-old filly trotters and pacers and colt trotters.
Odds On Chesapeake (Dexter Dunn) won the second division of sophomore filly pacers by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:50.1 to add to an already successful season. She was a winner in the first, second, and third legs of the OSS in 1:51.1, 1:50, and 1:50.4, respectively, and has hit the board in eight of nine seasonal starts with seven victories and one second. She has 11 wins and $392,700 in 19 lifetime starts.
After Rose Run Aimee (Dan Noble) led the field past the quarter pole in :26.4, Odds On Chesapeake took over the lead and remained in front the rest of the way. Odds On Chesapeake posted fractions of :55.4 at the half and 1:23.1 at the three-quarters and cruised to the victory. Prolific Fire (Austin Hanners) was second followed by Rose Run Aimee in third. Odds On Chesapeake is a Downbytheseaside filly trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. for owners Odds On Racing and Operation Horsepower.
Fellow Downbytheseaside filly Skywalker Sea (Hanners) recorded her first OSS win of the season, taking the first division of filly pacers in a mild upset at 14-1. Odds On Hialeah (Dunn), a three-time OSS winner this season and the 1-9 betting favorite, led the field past the first three calls in fractions of :28.2, :57.1, and 1:25 as Skywalker Sea settled in the pocket. As the top two pulled away from the rest of the six-horse field, Skywalker Sea made a late charge on the outside and edged Odds On Hialeah by a head as they both crossed the line in 1:51.3. That marked a lifetime best for Skywalker Sea. Rylee Too (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was third. Trained by Todd Luther, Skywalker Sea has six career wins and $277,300 in earnings and is owned by Greg Luther Racing.
Jailhouse Pearl (Hanners) posted the fastest mile among the two divisions of 3-year-old filly trotters, winning the second division in a lifetime-best 1:53.4. The Eric Nesselroad trainee left from post three and led wire to wire with fractions of :28.1, :57.1, and 1:25. She won by two lengths over second-place Aunt Laura (Brett Miller), who rallied from fifth entering the final stretch. Dream Something (Tyler Smith) was third. It was the second OSS win of the season for Jailhouse Pearl, as she also took a division in the second leg in 1:54.4. The Long Tom filly has hit the board in 25 of 27 lifetime starts with 14 wins and $208,027 in earnings. She is owned by Casey Clemens.
Pelican Hanover (Miller) scored her first OSS win of the season, taking the first division in 1:54.4 after a late rally. Leaving from the far outside, Mega Money (Aaron Merriman) took the lead from the outset and was in front past the first three calls with fractions of :27, :56.4, and 1:25.4. After moving third over, Pelican Hanover was in seventh place at the halfway mark and fifth at the three-quarter pole, trailing the leader by five lengths. The Uncle Peter filly took the lead down the stretch and faced a late challenge from Brink Street (Chris Page) but held on to win by a half-length as Mega Money faded to third. Pelican Hanover has hit the board in eight of 12 seasonal starts and has $110,460 in career earnings. She is trained by Miles Wollam for owners Cool Cat Racing and Bob Troyer.
Sophomore colt trotter Battle Hill notched his third OSS win of the season, taking the first division in a lifetime-best 1:53.3. His prior OSS victories came in the first and second legs in 1:56.3 and 1:54.4, respectively. The Marseille gelding led wire to wire, posting fractions of :28.3, :57.2, and 1:26 en route to winning by a length over Hilltop Sonar (Page). Vekna (Kayne Kauffman) was third. Battle Hill has hit the board in 15 of 18 lifetime starts with nine wins and $314,960 in earnings. He is trained by Matthew Burkholder for owner William Hartt.
In the second division of colt trotters, Jet Wings (Dunn) added a second OSS win to his seasonal resume, tripping the wire in 1:54 to match his time from his third-leg victory. The Morgan Jr. trainee edged second-place Long Highway (Andrew McCarthy) by a head with Scrappys Love (Noble) finishing third. Long Highway led the field past the quarter pole in :28, but Jet Wings moved to the outside and into the front to the :56.4 half. Scrappys Love edged ahead of Jet Wings to lead by a head at the 1:25.1 three-quarters. Scrappys Love raced side by side with Jet Wings entering the final stretch before fading. Long Highway made a strong late challenge in the passing lane, but Jet Wings held on to win the photo finish. The What The Hill gelding has six wins in 15 starts this season. He has hit the board in 25 of 30 lifetime starts with 10 wins and $223,245 in earnings. He is owned by Joyce A McClelland Stable.
The Ohio Sires Stakes races were part of a 16-race, $1.26 million card at Eldorado Scioto Downs that also included two $250,000 Grand Circuit events in the Charlie Hill Memorial and the Jim Ewart Memorial. Also on the card were three $50,000 divisions each of the fifth leg of the OSS for freshman colt and filly pacers.
All five legs of the OSS for all eight divisions are now complete. The OSS Scarlet Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, at Dayton Raceway.
For more information:
Wes Mayberry
wmayberry@ohha.com
614-221-3650
The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association (OHHA) is a non-profit organization serving Standardbred horse owners, breeders, trainers, drivers, and fans who participate in the sport of harness racing in the Buckeye State.
OHHA was founded in 1953. The mission of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association is to preserve, protect, promote, and serve the entire Standardbred industry in Ohio and beyond.