Columbus, OH – Secrets Ilia got back to her winning ways on Tuesday (Aug. 25) in Ohio Sires Stakes action for 2-year-old filly trotters at Eldorado Scioto Downs, setting a new lifetime mark of 1:53.4.
Brett Miller got Secrets Ilia away third off the gate while Missredwhitenblue (Luke Hanners) took the field to the :27.3 opening quarter. Going into the second turn, Secrets Ilia pulled first up as the leader tripped the half mile beam in :56. Midway down the backside, Secrets Ilia took the field past the 1:25.3 third-quarter. Coming home in :28.1, Secrets Ilia won by a length and a half over Made For More (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.); Shinie T (Aaron Merriman) was third.
It was the fourth win in six lifetime starts for Secrets Ilia, a daughter of Long Tom out of the CJ’s Secret mare CJ’s Super Secret. A $28,000 Buckeye Classic Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Mose Yoder, Secrets Ilia now has $118,750 earned for trainer Micah Miller and owners Wayne Mast, Jr. and Callam Racing.
The other division was won by Blue Ranger, a full sister to runner-up Hambletonian contender Big Ranger, in 1:54.1.
Rose Run Cybill (Kurt Sugg) took the field to the :27.3 opening quarter but Envious Queen (David Miller) quickly took over and sent the field towards the :56.3 half. Blue Ranger (Wrenn, Jr.) sat in fourth until the field straightened out on the backside when the filly came first up. Just off the leader’s wheel as Envious Queen got to the third-quarter in 1:25.1, Blue Ranger posted a :28.3 final quarter to win by a length and a half under a hand drive. Rose Run Cybill came up the passing lane to be second with Envious Queen third.
It was the maiden victory in three starts for Blue Ranger who comes from the Marcus Melander barn for owner Bender Sweden. A $210,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from Spring Haven Farm, Blue Ranger, by In Range out of the Tactical Landing mare Big Blue Bird, now has $43,500 in earnings.
Live racing at Scioto continues Thursday, Friday and Saturday, each with a 16-race card starting at 5:25 p.m. Thursday’s card (Aug. 27) includes two $75,000 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for 2-year-old colt trotters; Friday’s card (Aug. 28) two divisions of OHSS for 3-year-old filly pacers; and on Saturday (Aug. 29), two divisions each of 2-year-old colt and filly pacers and three divisions of 3-year-old colt pacers.
The 91-day 2026 Eldorado Scioto Downs regular season runs through Saturday, September 19. Races are held Tuesdays and Thursdays through Saturdays, with 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.