Grove City, OH – Northfield Park Racino hosted five $20,000 divisions each of the second leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for sophomore colt pacers and trotters on Saturday (June 6). Touchedbythesea and Time Has Come both scored victories, giving them a 2-for-2 start in the BSS.
Sophomore Colt Pacers
Touchedbythesea (Chris Page) won the third of five divisions of sophomore colt pacers. After taking an opening-leg win in a lifetime mark of 1:52.3 at Eldorado Scioto Downs on May 9, the Downbytheseaside gelding led wire to wire and crossed the line in 1:54.3 on Saturday. Touchedbythesea won by one and three-quarters lengths over Fire The Prez (Chris Lems) in second followed by Ninetynineproblems (Mike Wilder) in third. Trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Slaughter Racing Stable, and Weaver Bruscemi, Touchedbythesea has three wins and $26,300 in earnings in five seasonal starts.
Other highlights included dominant wire-to-wire victories by The Ebony Dragon and Gypsy’s Brother.
The Ebony Dragon (Luke Hanners) won the fifth division by nine and a half lengths in a lifetime mark of 1:51.4. The Fear The Dragon colt led at all three calls in :28, :56.2, and 1:23.3, stretching his advantage to three lengths at the three-quarter pole and six lengths entering the final stretch. The Great Escape (Wilder) was second followed by 51-1 longshot Bet The Beach (Page) in third. The Ebony Dragon is trained by Tyler Bates for owners Suzanne Bates and Cedar Point Beach Racing. He has 14 wins and earnings of $93,522 in 26 career starts.
In the second division, Gypsy’s Brother (Tyler Smith) led the field at every call in :27, :56, and 1:23.2 en route to winning by seven and three-quarters lengths in a lifetime-best 1:52. The Racing Hill gelding led by three lengths at the three-quarter mark and four and a half lengths entering the final stretch. Captain’s Dance (Sam Widger), a 20-1 longshot, and Heerz Corinthian (Brett Miller) rounded out the top three. Winless in seven starts as a freshman, Gypsy’s Brother has hit the board in four of six starts with earnings of $22,885 this year. He is trained by owner and breeder Herman Hagerman.
Thunder Jam (Miller) won the first division by one and a quarter lengths in 1:53.3 for trainer Tim Twaddle and owner Timothy Billow. Global (Dan Noble) and Willow Dale (Trevor Smith) rounded out the top three. Thunder Jam, a Downbytheseaside gelding, holds a 4-4-2 career record with $83,320 in earnings in 16 starts.
Ultimate Catch (Lems) won the fourth division by half a length in 1:55.4 with Pompncircumstance (Noble) and Odds On Mister X (Page) rounding out the top three. The Catch The Fire gelding is trained by Scott Cox for owners Wayne Mast Jr. and Jason Ash. He has five wins and $45,024 in earnings in 17 career starts.
Sophomore Colt Trotters
Time Has Come (Kurt Sugg), a winner in the opening leg of the BSS at Scioto in 1:56.1, recorded a lifetime mark of 1:56 in taking the fourth of five divisions of colt trotters on Saturday. The Uncle Peter gelding won by three-quarters of a length with Eckert Hill Brady (Widger) and Jackie Jann (Wilbur Yoder) rounding out the top three. Time Has Come is trained by Miles Wollam for owners Marty Wollam and Acadia Farms. He has hit the board in seven of eight career starts with six wins and $47,578 in earnings.
Deer In Range (Page) won the first division by three-quarters of a length in a lifetime-best 1:55.3, giving the In Range gelding six wins in seven seasonal starts and earnings of $33,500 after not racing as a freshman. He is trained and owned by Allen Miller. Dan’s Victory (Miller) and Ready For Pictures (Lems) finished second and third, respectively.
Mister Moolah (Tr. Smith) won the second division by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.1. Hall Stead (Ty. Smith) was second followed by Okay One More (Noble) in third. Mister Moolah is a Ready For Moni gelding trained by Danny Collins, who co-owns the horse with Paul Phillips, Charles McLain, and Keith Gisser. He has three wins and $29,810 in earnings in eight lifetime starts.
In the third division, Mile Range (Miller) won by three and three-quarters lengths in a lifetime mark of 1:55.3. Long Hill (John Ciocca Jr.) and Party Boy Tom (Yoder) rounded out the top three as 61-1 and 59-1 longshots, respectively. Mile Range is an In Range gelding trained by Steve Carter for owners Hatfield Stables and James Crawford IV. This marked his first seasonal win, increasing his lifetime victory total to seven and earnings to $50,588 in 19 starts.
Lane Holding Court (Noble) won the fifth division by two and a quarter lengths, recording a lifetime mark of 1:55.4 in his second career victory in eight starts. The Lane Of Stone gelding increased his lifetime earnings to $21,793. Siggie (Tr. Smith), a 72-1 longshot, was second followed by Ready For Sunshine (Hanners) in third. Lane Holding Court is trained by Mark Winters and owned by Harry Horowitz Estate.
The Buckeye Stallion Series continues on June 15 with the third leg for sophomore colt trotters at Northfield Park Racino.