Columbus, OH – Ohio State Fair action concluded Saturday (August 1) at Eldorado Scioto Downs with nine divisions of 2-year-old pacers, 3-year-old pacers and 3-year-old trotters, along with the aged pace and aged trot, anchoring the 16-race card.
Buckeye State Pace – 2CP
After three qualifiers, Night Surfer (Luke Hanners) is now a perfect two-for-two in stakes action, winning his $82,620 division in 1:51. North Rim (Chris Page) took the early lead towards the :27.3 quarter but as the field slowed to the :57.2 half, Jett James (Brett Miller) came rolling up to take over. As Jett James posted a stout 1:23.4 third quarter, Night Surfer was sitting third and powered down the stretch to win by a length over Jett James; North Rim was third.
Night Surfer, by Downbytheseaside out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Dark Force, was a $67,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from KAD Farms. Owned by Let It Ride Stables, Morrison Racing Stables and Steven Held, Night Surfer now has $78,810 earned in his two starts for trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr.
The other division, going for $81,920, went to Don’ttruckwithme (Chris Lems) in 1:51.4. Sea Monster (Hanners) took the early lead towards the :26.1 opening quarter. Getting away fifth, Lems pulled Don’ttruckwithme going into the second turn as the field headed towards the :57 half. Making the lead midway down the backstretch heading towards the the 1:24.2 third-quarter, Don’ttruckwithme drew clear to win by two and a half lengths over Into The Blaze (Ronnie Gillespie); Atlantic Ivey (Atlee Bender) got up for third.
Don’ttruckwithme now has four wins in four lifetime starts with $190,960 earned for trainer Daren Harvey and owners Wayne Mast, Jr., Eden Acres Farmstead and Kirk Nichols. By Catch The Fire out of the Real Desire mare Age Of Consent,
Don’ttruckwithme was a $37,000 purchase out of the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale from breeder Judy Roegner.
Governors Cup Trot – 3CT
Knob Creek Moni (Trevor Smith) led gate to wire to win the first of two $73,500 divisions in 1:53.3. The pair set fractions, virtually uncontested, of :27.2, :56.4 and 1:24.4 before coming home in :28.4 to win by a length and three-quarters over Deer In Range (Kurt Sugg); Rose Run Boom (Hanners) was third. Going off at 15/1, Knob Creek Moni paid $33.60 to win.
Knob Creek Moni, by Ready For Moni out of the Muscle Hill mare Southwind Cruella, was an $11,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Midland Acres. The Kim Dailey owned and trained gelding now has four wins in 22 lifetime starts with $125,176 earned.
Tom Largo continued his affinity to finish in the top two by winning the other division in 1:53.2. Soulful Saul (Hanners) took the early lead towards the :27.3 opening quarter, but Lems already had Tom Largo on the move. Quickly making the front, the duo set fractions of :56.3 and 1:24.4 before coasting home in :28.3 to win by five lengths. Special Moni (Page) was second and Grape Crush (David Miller) finished third.
Tom Largo, by Long Tom out of the Valley Victor mare Smith Hall, was a $25,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Midland Acres. Owned by Jughead Stables, G Peters and Robert Kubiak, the gelding now has four wins and five seconds in nine seasonal starts and $305,900 earned lifetime.
Director of Agriculture Pace – 3CP
Marvin Luna and trainer Tony Alagna teamed up to win two of the three divisions of the 3-year-old colt pace – Myboypank (1:50.3) and Up In Place (1:51.3).
Myboypank went straight to the top from post seven, setting fractions of :26.2, :55 and 1:22.3 on his way to victory, winning by three-quarters of a length over Fire Run (Bender); Heerz Corinthian (Cam McCown) was third.
Bred by Martz Creek Farm, the Catch The Fire gelding out of the Western Terror mare Bazooka Terror, was a $20,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase. Owned by Sam Bowie, Myboypank has eight wins in 13 lifetime starts and $136,017 in earnings.
Up In Place got away seventh as Backninebar (Page) set opening fractions of :26.3 and :56.1. The outer flow developed with Swelce (D. Miller) first up and Up In Place getting the tow towards the 1:23.1 third quarter. Up In Place fanned three-wide coming off the turn to get up to win by a length over Swelce; Caillou Hanover (Bender) was third.
Up In Place, by Lather Up out of the Park Place mare Helen’s Place, was a $22,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase. John Barnard and Alagna Racing own the colt who is a perfect six for six on the season with $181,022 in lifetime earnings.
The third division was won by Odds On RPJ (Hanners), also in 1:51.3. Getting away third while Tsunami Seas (D. Miller) set fractions of :26.2 and :56, Hanners pulled Odds On RPJ mid-way down the backside. After hitting the third quarter in 1:24, Odds On RPJ came home in :26.3 to win by a quarter length over Pet Project (Smith); Tsunami Seas held on for third.
Odds On RPJ, by Downbytheseaside out of the Rock N Roll Heaven mare Odds On Ashley, is owned by Odds On Racing and trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr. The gelding now has six wins in 13 lifetime starts and $90,457 in earnings.
Aged Ohio State Fair Races
Battle Hill (D. Miller) was much the best in the $65,000 Jim Buchy Trot, winning by six lengths in 1:53.1. Initially getting away third as Yanks Dugout (Austin Hanners) got to the quarter in :27.1, Miller pulled Battle Hill to then lead towards the :56.3 half and 1:24.2 third quarter. Yanks Dugout was second with Caviar Gold (Lems) getting up for third. Matthew Burkholder trains the 4-year-old gelded son of Marseille out of the Kadabra mare for William Hartt. It was the 16th lifetime win for Battle Hill who now has $513,230 in earnings.
Harrisburg Heist (Page) won gate-to-wire in the $65,000 Robert Schmitz Pace in 1:49.4. Setting fractions of :26.4, :55.4 and 1:22.4, Harrisburg Heist held off a strong bid from pocket sitter For Once Inmy Life (B. Miller); Rose Run Zane (Tyler Smith) was third. By Downbytheseaside out of the Western Ideal mare Cashaway, the Ron Burke trainee is owned by Burke Racing, Knox Services, Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi. It was the 20th win in 41 lifetime starts for the 4-year-old gelding who now has $791,702 in earnings.
The 91-day 2026 Eldorado Scioto Downs regular season runs through Saturday, September 19. Races will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays through Saturdays starting in August. There will be a special holiday card on Labor Day instead of the Tuesday card that week and no live racing on Friday (September 18) to accommodate horsemen attending the Ohio Selected Yearling Sale. 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.