Columbus, OH – Eight divisions of the Ohio Sires Stakes were part of the Ewart/Hill undercard on Saturday (Sept. 7) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
Trainer Ron Burke’s duo of Swingtown and Rick Wink each took their division of the $65,000 2-year-old colt pace in 1:51.4 to stay undefeated in their fledgling careers.
Swingtown (Chris Page) was fifth as Fabio Hanover (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) took the field to the :27 opening quarter, but by the three-eighths pole Downbythewater (Chris Lems) had taken over the lead. By the :55.1 half, Swingtown was first up and took over by the 1:23 third quarter. Page had Swingtown under a hand drive, with the ear plugs still in, going under the line 4-1/4 lengths ahead of Odds On Valhalla (Brett Miller); Downbythewater finished third.
Swingtown, by Downbytheseaside out of the Art Major mare Swinging Beauty, is owned by Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and R A S Racing. The colt is now five for five with $207,850 in earnings.
Rick Wink (Page) got away fifth as Copper Penny (Wrenn, Jr.) set fractions of :27.1, :55.4 and 1:23.3. Page pulled Rick Wink second over and followed the cover of Extra Suds (Brett Miller). Rick Wink won by a quarter length over Extra Suds; My First Fire (Austin Hanners) was third.
Rick Wink, a colt by Bit Of A Legend N out of the McArdle mare Mcgrin N Mcbare It, is owned by Burke Racing, R A S Racing, Knox Services and J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby. Rick Wink is now six for six with $171,000 in earnings.
There were two $100,000 divisions of the OHSS as both the 3-year-old colt trot and 3-year-old filly trot didn’t split.
Tennessee Tom (Page) was victorious in the 3-year-old colt trot, winning from post 11 in 1:54.4.
Spaaaanzano (Aaron Merriman) took the early lead and led the field through fractions of :28.2, :57.4 and 1:26.3. Page had Tennessee Tom on the move second over from the three-eighths pole and pulled three-wide around the last turn to win by a length. Hung Over (Miller) got the pocket trip and was second with Spaaaanzano holding on for third.
Tennessee Tom, by Long Tom out of the Muscle Massive mare Missive, is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Hatfield Stables and Knox Services. The Burke trainee now has $720,080 earned in 18 starts with 11 wins.
Sugar Instead (Miller) won the lone 3-year-old filly trot in 1:55.
Legacy Affair (Wrenn, Jr.) took the lead by the :28 opening quarter but Sugar Instead was quick to challenge from post nine to take over the lead, tripping the beam in :56.4 and 1:27. Createaqueen (Dan Noble) was second over going down the backside and tipped three-wide around the last turn to finish second just a neck back; Legacy Affair was third.
Sugar Instead, by Volstead out of the Windsong’s Legacy mare Sugar Pop, is owned by Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills. The Virgil Morgan, Jr. trainee now has $656,019 earned in 20 lifetimes starts with 16 wins; she is a perfect nine for nine this season.
Both the OHSS 3-year-old colt pace and 3-year-old filly pace split twice, with each division going for $65,000.
The heavy 1-9 favorite Seaside Diva (Page) took the first 3-year-old filly pace division in 1:50.4.
Page took Seaside Diva off the gate and sat fourth in the early going, as Calypso Pearl (Noble) hit the opening quarter in :26.2. By the :55.3 half, Seaside Diva had pulled first up, with Calypso Pearl finally letting her go midway down the backstretch as the field headed to the 1:22.3 third-quarter. Seaside Diva won by 2-1/2 lengths over Calypso Pearl; Daisy’s Star (Brady Galliers) was third.
Seaside Diva, by Downbytheseaside out of the Real Desire mare Real Diva, is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Let It Ride Stables. The Ron Burke trainee now has $577,805 earned in 23 starts with 14 wins.
No Foolin April (Dexter Dunn) won the second 3-year-old filly pace division in 1:51.2.
Wasted On You (Miller) made the early lead and hit the quarter in :27.2 with No Foolin April getting the pocket trip. Wasted On You continued to lead through the :56.2 half and 1:24.1 three-quarters. Bath Bomb (Yannick Gingras) came first up midway down the backside, settled in the pocket just past the three-quarter pole and angled back out midway through the last turn. Dunn took No Foolin April wide to win by a neck over Bath Bomb; Wasted On You was third.
No Foolin April, by Nob Hill High out of the Riverboat King mare Princess Baby Ella, is a homebred for owner/trainer Adam Short. She now has $141,313 earned in 23 lifetime starts with six wins.
Clever Cody with Merriman up went back to his winning ways by taking the first 3-year-old colt pace division in 1:52.
Getting away fifth at the :27.4 opening quarter as Hundred Dollar Man (Montrell Teague) led the field through the :56 half. Merriman pulled Clever Cody first up and by the 1:24 three-quarters was sitting third. Coming down the stretch, Clever Cody won by a length and a half over Nine One Oh Six (Noble); Rock The Hill (Josh Sutton) was third.
Clever Cody, by The Panderosa out of the Real Artist mare Cams Van Go, is owned by the Clever Cody Stable. The Ian Moore trainee now has $546,332 earned in 23 starts with 10 wins.
Paris’s Dragon (Noble) won the other division for 3-year-old colt pacers by going gate-to-wire in 1:51.1.
Rose Run Zane (Austin Hanners) sat in the pocket as Paris’s Dragon set fractions of :27.3, :57 and 1:24. Paris’s Dragon won by a half length over Rose Run Zane; Gansbaai (Michael Whelan) was third.
Paris’s Dragon, by Fear The Dragon out of the Pet Rock mare Lima Ooh La La, is owned by breeder Dennis Owens and Norman Rae Racing. The Christi Noble trainee now has $296,267 earned in 23 lifetime starts with nine wins.
Also on the Saturday card was the $30,000 filly and mare open, won by My Red Sea.
Eric Goodell took the 4-year-old mare by Downbytheseaside back to seventh from the nine hole and came home in :27.2 to win by a length and three-quarters in 1:50.4. Jason Irwin trains My Red Sea for Jennifer Bongiorno Stable and Robert Weinstein.
Nashing Hill took the $30,000 open pace in 1:48.4.
The 5-year-old gelded son of Racing Hill came from the back of the pack to win by half a length over Muskateer Hanover (Tony Hall). Steve Carter trains Nashing Hill for Calwell Mamie Racing.
The 2024 Scioto Downs meet goes through Saturday, Sept. 14. Post time for the Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday cards, will be 5:45 p.m., with the Friday card starting at 6:45 p.m. to help accommodate horsemen attending the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale.
More information about racing at Scioto can be found on the Eldorado Scioto Downs website.