Jet Hill is staking his claim as the top three-year-old trotting colt in the Buckeye state. The son of What The Hill won for the third time in Ohio Sires Stakes action on Tuesday (July 4) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
Jet Hill with Kurt Sugg fired from the gate and never looked back dominating the second $55,000 division for sophomore colts, winning in 1:53.4.
Sugg controlled the race with fractions of :28.1, :58.2 and 1:26.3. The 2-5 favourite faced a challenge heading up the backstretch from Black Magic and Brett Miller but opened around the final turn and drew clear to win by three lengths. Till I Collapse As finished second with Black Magic third.
The win was the fifth in six starts this year for the Edward Miller trainee. Owned by Serenity Racing Stables, Jet Hill has earned $116,400 this season.
In the first $55,000 division, Rumble Strips and Kayne Kauffman set the early pace, grabbing the lead and covering the first quarter in :28.1. Kauffman kept Rumble Strips on the lead through the half and three-quarters in :57 and 1:25.2. John Dutton and Chris Page sat last through the first half before following cover and moving up the backstretch. Around the final turn, Page took John Dutton three-wide and set their sights on the leader. As the field closed in on the finish line, Page nosed the son of What The Hill into the lead, hanging on to win by a length in a lifetime mark of 1:53.2. Burtons Hill and Miller rallied down the passing lane to finish second with Jogging Full Trot and Dan Noble charging from the back of the pack to finish third.
John Dutton has won six of his nine starts this year for trainer Ron Burke. Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Johnny Yoder and RAS Racing, John Dutton has earned $93,141 this season.
Ohio Sires Stakes action resumes on Saturday, July 8 at Eldorado Scioto Downs with the first leg for two-year-old colt pacers.
(With files from Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)