Ohio Hall of Famer Chip Noble teamed with trainer Scott Mogan to sweep both Ohio Breeders Stakes for trotters on Friday night at Scioto
. The filly ML Cupcake scored first and then the Noble-Mogan combine repeated with gelding J J Hall.
Noble moved ML Cupcake to take command as the field passed the stands the first time, only to look over his right shoulder and see J.D. Wengerd with Minnie Spur, one of the favourites.
“I thought about hanging her [Minnie Spur] out there, but we were trotting pretty fast at that point and I thought my filly needed a rest,” said Noble.
So he let Minnie Spur move to the top as they passed the half-mile marker in :58.3. That gave ML Cupcake a quarter-mile breather. In the final quarter, ML Cupcake launched her attack at Minnie Spur and forged past her in mid-stretch to win in 1:58.4, lowering her mark by more than two seconds. She had a 2-1/2 length margin over Minnie Spur at the wire as Dontevennomymame grabbed third.
It was the second win in four starts this season for the Master Lavec filly, who is owned by William Johnson and Douglas Millard.
In the Ohio Breeders Stakes for freshman trotting colts, J J Hall made amends for his mistake last week. The son of Jailhouse Jesse went off at 3-5 odds last week in his Ohio Sires Stakes, but broke at the start and spotted the field almost 20 lengths. He recovered to finish a close third.
Tonight there was no mistake for J J Hall as Noble steered him to the front passing the grandstand and he never relinquished the lead. The middle half-mile was trotted in a leisurely 1:02.2 and it was impossible to catch J J Hall in the final quarter. He won by 2-3/4 lengths in 2:01.3 over DJ John Boy and Total Outlaw.
“The soft fractions helped, but this horse is going to beat a lot of them if he keeps his mind on business,” said Noble in the winner’s circle. “Last week I just couldn’t get him focused and that’s why he broke.”
J J Hall is owned by Douglas Millard and it was the third win in four starts for the youngster.
Magical New Day made it three wins in a row at Scioto when he took the Ohio Breeders Stakes for freshman pacing colts. Driver Greg Grismore moved him to the front during the second quarter, which was covered in :30.1. That was enough of a breather that the son of Dawn Ofa New Day sprinted away from his pursuers.
Hare Craft, making his first career start, closed extremely fast for driver Dan Noble to get second, but Grismore never bothered to look over his shoulder.
“I could hear him [Hare Craft]coming and I knew my colt had enough to win,” he said. “He’s got some big races coming up and there was no sense using him too hard.”
Magical New Day hit the wire 1-1/4 lengths ahead in 1:56.3 with Hare Craft second and Glenn’s Countryboy third.
The winner is owned by Donald and Maryann Glenny and now has three wins in four life starts.
In the Open Handicap Trot, Near The Limit was sent to the front at the start by driver J.D. Wengerd and gamely held on to win in 1:56.1 over Ritz Tracker. She’s Not Red finished third.
(Scioto Downs)