J J Hall, the reigning Horse of the Year in Ohio, scored his first victory of the season in Friday’s featured $5,500 Open Trot at Scioto Downs
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The four-year-old gelded son of Jailhouse Jesse came from behind to win by three and a half lengths in 1:57.1. Regular driver Chip Noble was in the bike behind the winner for trainer Scott Mogan and owner Douglas Millard of Woodstock, Ont.
Cant Lose and trainer-driver Ty Rhoden set the early pace with a snappy opening quarter in :28 with the 2-1 favourite Drift Away in second place. During the second quarter, driver Ray Paver moved Top Kick into contention outside the pacesetter. The half-mile marker was passed in :58-seconds.
Meanwhile, Noble had J J Hall in dead last in the seven-horse field after the first quarter and moved him up to sixth at the half. Then J J Hall put his trotting shoes on and took dead aim on Cant Lose.
With a three-wide move around the final turn, Noble got J J Hall into contention and he had seized control by the time the field entered the stretch. The race was then over and only the winning margin and final time were in doubt. Drift Away held for second while Cant Lose faded to third in the homestretch.
He paid $6.00, $3.40, and $3.20.
J J Hall had been winless in five starts this season, including a defeat last week when he broke stride at Scioto. On Friday, he was back in the form that saw him win 10 of his 20 starts at ages two and three.
In an earlier race, the five-year-old trotting mare Arianna Hall paid $106.60 for a $2 wager when she won by a neck in 1:57.4 for trainer-driver Daren Harvey.
(Scioto Downs)