Two for Burke in pacing Ohio Scarlet Championships

Trainer Ron Burke finished 1-2-3 in the $300,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Scarlet Championship for 2-year-old male harness racing pacers on Saturday night (October 12) at MGM Northfield Park and also prevailed in the Championship for 3-year-old pacing fillies with Seaside Diva (Downbytheseaside).

In the other Championships for the pacers, Clever Cody (The Panderosa) defended his title from 2023 in the 3-year-old colt and gelding event and Odds On Hialeah (Lather Up) delivered in the tilt for 2-year-old fillies.

Rick Wink (Chris Page), who was trying to improve to nine-for-nine in 2024, led early in the Championship for the rookie colts and geldings, but Sippinonsearoc (Downbytheseaside, Yannick Gingras), who became harness racing’s all-time fastest 2-year-old with a 1:48 2/5 performance at The Red Mile on August 13, overtook him before the 27.4 quarter. Sippionsearoc then yielded to sit behind a brushing Swingtown (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) after that marker.

Swingtown maintained the top spot through a 56 second half and a 1:24 three-quarters, but Sippionsearoc was full of pace to his outside in the lane, went by and pulled clear to prevail by a length and a half in 1:51.2, equaling the track record. Swingtown was second and Rick Wink, who tried a first-over attack out of third before three-quarters, couldn’t make any headway and had to settle for the show dough.

“I was kind of rooting for Rick Wink since he could win the Ohio Triple Crown, but Sippinonsearoc, what a beast,” remarked co-owner Carl Howard, whose wife Rocchina competes as R A S Racing LLC. I know he’s got the Breeders Crown, so hopefully he’ll go there, but that’s really up to Ronnie and the group.

“I was fortunate that Mark (Weaver) put me in the whole group. We just wanted to invest in a few horses, and the next thing you know we’ve got 10, 15, 20.”

SIPPINONSEAROC REPLAY

Burke trains Sippinonsearoc, a colt bred by Trent Stohler Stable Inc. and Alesha Binkley, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., R A S Racing LLC. and Knox Services Inc. Sippinonsearoc has a summary of 6-1-1 from nine trips behind the gate, has earnings of $408,500 and returned $6.60 to win.

Seaside Diva (Page) avenged her defeat in the Championship a year ago with a 1:52.2 triumph in the showdown for sophomore fillies.

Daisy’s Star (David Miller), who knocked off Seaside Diva in that Championship in 2023, led the way early, but Seaside Diva marched up two-wide and cleared her past the 27.1 quarter. Seaside Diva maintained her grip on the front-end through middle-half panels of 55.4 and 1:24, then sealed her 1 1/2 length triumph with a 28.2 final kicker. No Foolin April (Dexter Dunn) was game from first-over and held off second-over Wasted On You (Brett Miller) for the runner-up spot.

“As a 2-year-old she was probably the best filly. A minor setback out in the field probably caused her to get beat in the final,” recalled Page. “This year, she’s just been flawless.”

SEASIDE DIVA REPLAY

Seaside Diva is a homebred for Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Knox Services Inc. and Let It Ride Stables Inc. Seaside Diva made her 15th trip to the winner’s circle in her 26th try, has banked $761,605 and paid $2.20 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

Clever Cody (Aaron Merriman) overcame an extended first-over grind to take the Championship for the sophomore colts and geldings in 1:52.

Paris’s Dragon (Dan Noble) and Janelle Granny (Dunn) battled most of a 26.1 quarter before Paris’s Dragon took command. As Paris’s Dragon was clearing, Merriman sent Clever Cody off the pylons from fourth, and he would advance into second on the outside as Paris’s Dragon got to the half in 54.4. Paris’s Dragon and Clever Cody kept up their duel around the third turn and over to the 1:22.1 three-quarters, with Hundred Dollar Man (Montrell Teague) going three-wide from second-over and Janelle Granny still in the hunt after he slid off the cones into a third-over position.

In the stretch Clever Cody showed his determination by dispatching Paris’s Dragon for good, and from there, Clever Cody went on to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:52. Paris’s Dragon held off a ground-saving Rock The Hill (D. Miller) for third.

“He kind of makes you feel good about yourself, a couple of other guys drive him, Hall of Famers, and they don’t get along with him. He’s been very, very good for me,” remarked Merriman. “Today he really raced gritty. I was very, very impressed. He lost a shoe in the first turn, and he had a lot of things that might not have been great for him. I moved him at the quarter, and he just raced well.

“I knew there was going to be a lot of speed. I took it upon myself here a few starts back to really teach this horse how to race off a helmet. He’s so great on the front and he relaxes so well, but there are other guys who want to race on the front. One of the races this year, I really think that I committed and it was my fault. Hats off to Danny’s horse, too. He raced unbelievable, but I’m just really happy with the way the horse raced and happy for the connections.”

CLEVER CODY REPLAY

Clever Cody was sent out by Dr. Ian Moore for owner Clever Cody Stable. The Marvin Raber-bred posted his 11th lifetime triumph, has put away $712,732 and returned $3.00 to win.

Trainer Virgil Morgan Jr., who collected three titles overall on the card, finished first and second with a pair of Odds On Nourrir-bred/Odds On Racing-owned or co-owned 2-year-old fillies in their Championship, as Odds On Hialeah (Dunn) fought off Odds On Chesapeake (D. Miller).

Odds On Hialeah, the 1-9 choice, marched two-wide to the lead past the 27.3 quarter but Odds On Chesapeake came first-up out of fourth heading to the 57 second half and battled eye-to-eye with Odds On Hialeah around the third turn and to the 1:25 three-quarters. Odds On Hialeah was game on the inside, though, and was able to keep in front around the last turn and to the finish line, defeating Odds On Chesapeake by a neck. Skywalker Sea (Austin Hanners) had pace off a second-over trip and collected third.

“She’s a beautiful filly and lovely to drive. She put in a great performance at Delaware and went to Dayton and put in a good mile,” Dunn remarked after the victory. “She was great again here tonight. She’s very easy to drive and gets around the small tracks great, too.

“I probably deserved to get pressure because I went too slow in the second quarter, but it probably helped her a little bit. She’s probably more of a stalker than on the front, but with a good draw, we had to use it. It sort of got her up and going. We got her traveling around the last turn, and she had to fight hard up the straight, though.”

ODDS ON HIALEAH REPLAY

Odds On Hialeah is seven-for-eight in the win column, has pocketed $324,750 and paid $2.80 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

To read about the trotting championships, click here.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by DRF Harness, for the OHHA