Hare Craft repeated his Super Night win from last season, this time for Canadian connections, in taking the $75,000 Ohio Sire Stakes for sophomore pacing colts at Scioto Downs on Saturday night
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His 1:51 clocking was the fastest mile of the Scioto season.
The 1-2 favourite, Dancin Yankee, was sent to the front by driver Kyle Ater with an opening panel in :26.4. Hare Craft was seventh in the eight-horse field at that point.
Dancin Yankee continued to set the pace through a :55 half-mile and a three-quarters in 1:22.1 with IDK in close pursuit.
Driver and co-owner Aaron Byron had Hare Craft on the move in the third quarter and tipped him three-wide around the final turn. In the stretch, Hare Craft had the most pace and hit the wire a length ahead of I D K, who was a neck ahead of Dancin Yankee.
Byron, a Cambridge, Ont. resident, owns the colt in partnership with Steve Heimbacher of Waterloo, Ont. Ryan Maxwell trains the son of Yankee Cruiser.
In the Ohio Sire Stakes final for sophomore trotters, J J Hall got a perfect driver from Ohio Hall of Fame Chip Noble and romped to a six and a quarter length victory for Douglas Millard of Woodstock, Ont. and trainer Scott Mogan. The time was 1:56.
Future Night Train and Shining Ember dueled during the open half-mile in :56.3, but they had no response when J J Hall circled them in the third quarter and drew away in the final quarter. Rose Run Mac was second while the 31-1 shot Spring Fling was third.
Count Me In was another easy winner for Noble on Super Night. He marched the Marty Wollam-trained colt to the front at the start and never looked back. Count Me In won by five and a quarter lengths in 1:59 while Rock N Jesse finished second at 24-1 with Jailbird Jesse third. The winner is owned by Patricia Wollam and Arcadia Farms.
The night had several upsets, but none was bigger than Haley Louise’s win in the freshman filly pace. The daughter of Mantacular was set off at 63-1 odds and set all the fractions to win 1:58.3. Kurt Sugg steered the filly to a gutsy win over 72-1 shot Airie Friskie, who closed from well back in the pack. Friskie Beauty was third while the 4-5 favourite Special Lady D was fourth. Larry Deyermand owns and trains the filly, who paid $129 to win.
Another upset winner was Noble Trick, victor in the juvenile pace in 1:55.2 for driver Aaron Merriman. The 1-2 favourite, Gun Show, failed to fire for driver Dan Noble as Noble Trick wore down the leader, Feeling Cornered, in the stretch to win by a neck. Ron Steck trains the colt and owns him in partnership with Michael Clausen and Darlene and Julie Hawkins. Noble Trick paid $28 to win.
Rose Run Marci caught the pacesetting favourite, Fire In The Cell, in the stretch to take the sophomore filly trot at odds of 7-1. Driver Dan Noble sat patiently in the hole while his father Chip challenged the leader with ML Cupcake, then Rose Run Marci sailed past both to win by a length in 1:57. Jim Arledge, Jr. owns and trains the filly. Fire In The Cell held for second while Sleek Jesse was third at odds of 26-1.
Crossthreaded prevented Osborne’s Sweeper from a repeat win on Super Night as she used her cover in the final half to explode in the final quarter to win by one and a quarter lengths in 1:53.1. Aaron Merriman drove the winner for her new trainer Bruce Riegle and new owners Anna Coe, Scott Mangini, and Roy Kohl. Crossthreaded was second while Surf New York was third at 44-1 odds.
Jessica Rayne started the evening with a four-length win in the freshman filly trot in 2:00. The 3-5 favourite was steered by Dan Noble for trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. and owners Matthew Toler and C. Ed Mullinax.
(With files from Scioto Downs)