by Dean A. Hoffman, for Scioto Downs

Columbus, OH — Victory Is Coming beat reigning Ohio Horse of the Year Jesse’s Messenger in the $36,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for sophomore filly trotters at Scioto Downs on Monday afternoon, Sept. 6.

It was the first time Jesse’s Messenger has ever lost a race at Scioto Downs, and also the first time she’s lost to an Ohio-sired competitor.

Victory Is Coming upset Jesse’s Messenger in a time of 1:56.

Victory Is Coming had post one, but Jesse’s Messenger left faster from post six to get the early lead through an opening quarter-mile in :28.1. When driver Ryan Stahl slowed the tempo in the second quarter, Ammon Hershberger moved Victory Is Coming to the outside and trotted up to challenge the leader. Jesse’s Messenger responded by posting a torrid :27.3 third quarter, which opened up ground on the seven horses trailing the two leaders. Hershberger slipped Victory Is Coming in behind Jesse’s Messenger for a while to give her a breather.

Then Victory Is Coming came back out for the challenge and the race was on as the two superb trotting fillies came off the final turn. Soon it was obvious that Victory Is Coming was the best on this day as she pulled away to score by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:56, a new record for the daughter of Victory Sam. The final half-mile was covered in :57 seconds. Jesse’s Messenger held for second. Flori’s Future finished 7-1/2 lengths back in third.

Victory Is Coming now has 11 wins in 14 starts this season for Betty and John Red Shaw. In her career she has won 16 of her 24 starts and her bankroll is now right at $150,000.

In other Ohio Sires Stakes action, Kurt Sugg shot Golden Fizz up the inside to win a division of the sophomore filly pace in 1:54.2. Sugg left quickly with the daughter of Towner’s Big Guy, then yielded to favored Lullaby Til Dawn. Once in the stretch, Sugg took the inside lane to victory as she won by a length over Lullaby Til Dawn with Misster Wilker third. It was her seventh win in 19 starts this season for trainer Darrell Hooser and owner Ronald Bates.

The other Ohio Sires Stakes split for 3-year-old pacing fillies was an easy-does-it win for Rub Thing, giving her six wins in a row for owner-trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. and driver Chris Page. The daughter of On The Attack had post one and Page shot her to the front after the start. The 1-2 favorite was so intimidating and Page was able to get away with soft fractions, then sprinted a final half-mile in :56.1 to seal the victory. She prevailed over Lovely Dawn and Our Ms Annabel. Rub Thing has now won eight of her 12 starts in 2010.

USTA/Ed Keys photos

Justin Hall was recognized before the first race as friends, family and Scioto drivers and trainers assembled to recognize his return to the racetrack.

Prior to the races, there was a ceremony for Ohio horseman Justin Hall, who was injured badly in an accident a year ago. Hall was in a coma for two months and then in a rehab facility for a month before being released. He is not licensed to drive horses again, but was able to jog a horse around the track as part of the ceremony.

A large contingent of his fellow horsemen waited in the winner’s circle to greet him. It’s hoped that Hall will be able to drive again sometime in the near future.