Track records broken at Scioto Downs

The Eldorado Scioto Downs track keeps producing speed, with two more harness racing track records broken Saturday (July 29), including the one for aged mares in the $100,000 Cleopatra Invitational. Grace Hill (Always B Miki) took the mare feature by a nose in 1:48.4.

Kobe’s Gigi and Tyler Smith left from the rail with Grace Hill and Tony Hall just to her outside from post three. Stretching Grace Hill a bit going to the quarter, Kobe’s Gigi yielded to Grace Hill at the :26.2 opening quarter. Grace Hill then looked comfortable setting fractions of :54.2 to the half and 1:21.3 to the three-quarters.

Smith pulled Kobe’s Gigi at the top of the stretch and came at Grace Hill throughout the final eighth but came up a nose short. Violets Rainbow (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr) got up for third and paced her first sub-1:50 mile, going in 1:49.4.

“When you’re the favorite like that, more often than not, you land on the front, not that that’s where you always want to be,” said trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. “But I thought she raced great. Nothing’s easy, especially here.

GRACE HILL REPLAY

“I still felt pretty good (at the top of the stretch), but the other horse, she’s a really nice mare and she was tracking her really good. But my mare, when she sees another horse, she digs in pretty good, so yea, was it closer than I wanted it to be? Yea…it was a little too close for comfort.”

Tom Hill owns Grace Hill, a 5-year-old mare out of the Western Terror mare Western Silk. In each of her eight 2023 starts, she has been the betting favorite and has visited the winner’s circle six times to boast $295,087 in seasonal earnings. In the Cleopatra she was set off as the 1/5 favorite and paid $2.60 to win.

Just 20 minutes later Ohio-sired Charlie May (McArdle) came up the inside passing lane to get the victory in the $100,000 #SendItIn Invitational in 1:47.4.

Linedrive Hanover and Aaron Merriman left out of the seven hole to cut the mile with Charlie May sitting in the pocket. After the :26.4 opening quarter, Little Rocket Man (Jeremy Smith) pulled first up just before the :54.2 half. The field went by the three-quarters in 1:20.4 with those three horses then putting some distance between them and the rest of the field.

With Little Rocket Man still in close quarters to the outside, Charlie May had to wait for the passing lane and took complete advantage, winning by a quarter length. The mile was only one-fifth off the track record for aged geldings set one week ago by Little Rocket Man.

CHARLIE MAY REPLAY

“He got a great trip and I’m proud of Scioto Downs for putting it on,” said trainer Steve Carter.

Also, a 5-year-old, Charlie May is owned by breeder Don Tiger. He is out of the Western Hanover mare Stipple Hanover. The gelding now has seven starts with two wins in 2023 and $1.894 million in lifetime earnings. Sent off as the third betting choice, at 3/1 Charlie May paid $8.40 to win.

On the undercard, another track record was broken – Pioneer AS and Tony Hall took the $33,000 Open Trot in 1:51.3. The 4-year-old mare by Devious Man is trained by Anette Lorentzon for ACL Stuteri AB.

PIONEER AS REPLAY

Aaron Merriman won the first two of three $40,000 divisions for freshman pacing colts Saturday night (July 29) at Eldorado Scioto Downs as all three division winners established new lifetime marks.

In the first division, Merriman raced Janelle Granny off the grace to grab the lead heading to the first quarter and never looked back, winning easily by two lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:52.  Janelle Granny has hit the board in all seven starts this year for owner and trainer Betty Clegg.  The Fear The Dragon colt has won three and finished second in the other four starts.  Janelle Granny has earned $85,411 this year.

Racing Rebel finished second with Dancin Moon third.

In the second division, Merriman went gate-to-wire again, this time with Clever Cody.  The son of The Panderosa was never challenged, winning by three lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:51.2.  The Dr. Ian Moore trainee has won two of four starts this year and has earned $56,800 for the Clever Cody Stable.

Midwind Beach Boy with a late charge finished second while Outer Banks slipped to third.

In the final division of the night, Hundred Dollar Man with Montrell Teague fired off the gate, grabbing the early lead and cruised to an easy five-length victory in 1:51.4, a new lifetime mark.   The son of Lather Up has hit the board in all four starts for trainer Clyde Francis, winning two.  Owned by Brenda Teaque Inc., Hundred Dollar Many has earned $62,800 this year.

Dragons Better was second with Who Dey Nation third.

Stakes action continues next week at Scioto with the Ohio State Fair Stakes for Ohio-sired horses, Thursday-Saturday, August 3-5.

Racing is held at Scioto Downs each Tuesday and Wednesday with a 3:15 p.m. first post and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with a 5:50 p.m. first post through Saturday, September 16. Follow @SciotoRacing on Twitter for all the details of the 2023 racing season at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

More information about the entire Scioto Downs racing season, including race schedule, wagering menu, VIP room reservations and more can be found by clicking here.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

From Eldorado Scioto Downs