The first leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for two-year-old colt trotters is in the books. Six $20,000 divisions went to the post on Monday, July 10 at MGM Northfield Park.
In the first division, Royal Precedent and Aaron Merriman took the lead and never looked back, winning by two lengths in 1:57.3. The homebred Creatine gelding earned his first win in his second outing for trainer John Butenschoen and owner Claude Gendreau Stb Inc. Lucky Tom was second and Prince Charmer was third.
Runs The Wind and Kurt Sugg got a pocket trip and charged up the lighting lane to capture the second division in 2:00.3 for trainer Edward Miller. It was the first win in three starts for the Long Tom gelding, who is owned by Serenity Racing Stables. Countem Up finished second and Anchor Point was fourth-placed-third.
In the third division, undefeated Beaueastel lowered his lifetime mark to 1:59.1 with a three-length victory in rein to Peter Wrenn. The What The Hill gelding is two-for-two to start his career for trainer Melanie Wrenn and Wrenn Racing LLC. Sbrocco finished second and Kang was third.
Bob Da Bomber and Ryan Stahl cruised to the front and never looked back, winning the next division in 2:00.3. A two-time starter, the maiden-breaking Long Tom gelding is trained by Tye Loy, who co-owns with Richard Coad, Douglas Gregory and David Wills. Pleaseandthankyou finished second and Be Not Beastly was third.
After racing in the pocket, Block Island Sound and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. took the lead in the fifth division when race leader Luther Brothers broke stride at three-quarters and then held off a late charge down the stretch from Swan Hilluva Rush to win by a neck in a new mark of 2:00.1, with No Nap Nash closing within a half-length. The gelded son of Long Tom is now two-for-two this season for owner/trainer Mike Sowers.
In the final division, Gypsy Hill and Anthony MacDonald followed live cover behind RC Credit Fashion, was on the front by the half and cruised to the 6-1/4-length victory in 1:58. Jason McGinnis trains the What The Hill colt, who picked up his first win in his second start, for owners Thestable Gypsy Hill Group and Hutchison Harness LLC. Naughty Tommy finished second and RC Credit Fashion was third.
The first leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for two-year-olds wraps up on Tuesday at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
(With files from Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)