Grove City, OH – Stakes season in the Buckeye State wraps up Saturday (Oct. 11) as MGM Northfield Park hosts eight $50,000 divisions of the Ohio Fairs Championship.
Among pacers, Clevelandtoprookie (Dan Noble) was the top point-earner in the OFC standings this season and is the 8-5 morning-line second choice in the sophomore male pace division behind narrow favorite Catch The Express (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) at 3-2. Eighth in the point standings, Catch The Express drew post five. The Catch The Fire gelding has eight wins in seven seasonal starts, including a string of four straight victories from Aug. 26 to Sept. 18. In his last time on the track, the Cory Deyermand trainee finished sixth in the Buckeye Stallion Series consolation. He has $45,610 in earnings on the year and owns a lifetime mark of 1:53.3. Trained by Brian Georges, Clevelandtoprookie will leave from post two. A Catch The Fire gelding, he amassed 779 points to lead all pacers this season. He has hit the board in 23 of 28 starts in 2025 with 10 wins and $44,745 in earnings and owns a lifetime mark of 1:56.2. Eddie Nine Toes (Hank LeVan) and Bounding Delight (Emanuel Miller), who finished second and third in the standings, will leave from post eight and six, respectively, in the eight-horse field.
In the freshman male pace division, Fired Up Henry L (LeVan) opened as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. Fifth in the OFC standings, the Catch The Fire gelding has hit the board in 14 of 19 starts this season with seven wins and $43,800 in earnings. Trained by LeVan, he owns a lifetime mark of 1:58 and will leave from post three. I Am The Sea (Noble) and Worknupalather (Nick Clegg) share co-second choice honors at 7-2. I Am The Sea sits atop the standings with 671 points while Worknupalather is second with 638. Leaving from post four, I Am The Sea has hit the board in 20 of 27 starts this season with eight wins and $38,904 in earnings. He is a Downbytheseaside gelding trained by Herman Hagerman with a lifetime mark of 1:58.2. The Betty Clegg-trained Worknupalather will leave from the rail. A Lather Up gelding, he has seven victories in 27 starts this year and has bankrolled $37,272. His lifetime best is 2:01.1. Pumpkin Skin (Braiden Rhoades), who is third in the standings, will leave from post seven.
Sophomore filly pace points leader Legendary L opened as the heavy 6-5 favorite in her division. Trained and driven by LeVan, the Bit Of A Legend N filly compiled 698 points this season and will leave from post two. She has 15 victories in 24 starts on the year to go with $83,682 in earnings and a lifetime mark of 1:52. She has won four of her past six starts and is coming off a fourth-place finish in the BSS finals. Maddie’s Delite (Wrenn Jr.) is the second choice at 7-2 and will leave from post six. The Lather Up filly and Steve Carter trainee has hit the board in 17 of 20 seasonal starts with 11 wins and six seconds to go with $61,945 in earnings. She is second in the standings with 594 points and has a lifetime best of 1:53.4. Third in the standings, Sectionline Flame (Miller) will leave from post five.
In the freshman filly pace division, Racing Artist (Aaron Merriman) will leave from the far outside as the 2-1 morning-line favorite. Ninth in the OFC standings, she has hit the board in all 12 seasonal starts with seven wins and earnings of $32,320. Bill Webb trains the Racing Hill filly, who owns a lifetime mark of 1:57.4. VH Goldie (David Young II) is the 5-2 second choice. The Tim Van Horn trainee has 10 wins and four seconds with $47,810 in earnings in 16 starts this season. The Dancin Yankee filly is second in the OFC standings with 562 points and has a lifetime best of 1:57.3. Juliet Capulet, who is on top of the standings with 660 points, raced at Lancaster on Wednesday and is not entered. Third-place Delta Lady (Wrenn Jr.) will leave from post five.
Saturday’s Ohio Fairs Championship races are part of a 15-race card at Northfield that also features the $125,000 Grade 3 Courageous Lady and a pair of Lady Drivers Tour paces.
First-race post time is 6 p.m.
The Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association (OHHA) will live stream the Ohio Fairs Championship as part of its “Saturday Night at the Races” program presented by The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center and sponsored by Dublin Valley Farms, Hickory Lane Farm, Midland Acres, and North American Standardbred Sale. Coverage of the eight finals will begin at 6:15 p.m. on the OHHA YouTube channel and Facebook page as well as HarnessRacingOhio.com.