Longshot and Rose Run Xtra Score take $55,000 legs

Grove City, OH – The top two three-year-old male trotters in Ohio have set their sights on a harness racing showdown in the Ohio Sires Stakes finals October 1st.

Longshot (Long Tom) and Rose Run Xtra (Cash Hall) won again in Sires Stakes action Sunday night (Sep 4) at a rainy MGM Northfield Park.  Longshot won for the third time in the series, while Rose Run Xtra won for the second time.

In the first of two $55,000 divisions across a sloppy track, Chris Lems took the 2-5 favorite Longshot to the lead and controlled the pace through the first half with fractions of :28.3 and :57.3 for the half.

What The Blaze and Dan Noble challenged the leader heading to three-quarters but could get no closer than a head.

As the field turned for home, Longshot fought off a challenge from The Mighty Hill and Aaron Merriman, drawing away to win in 1:54.4.  What The Blaze finished third.

LONGSHOT REPLAY

Scott Cox trains Longshot for owners Wayne Mast Jr. and Callam Racing.

The win is the sixth of the year in 11 starts for Longshot and raises his earnings this year to $118,270.

In the second division, co-even money favorites Caviar Gold and Rose Run Xtra battled through the rain with Rose Run Xtra firing down the passing lane to win by a head.

Aaron Merriman took Caviar Gold to lead with Chris Page and Rose Run Xtra taking the pocket trip through the first three quarters in :27,3, :55.4, and 1:24.4.

At the top of the stretch Page shot Rose Run Xtra to the inside beating Caviar Gold to the wire in 1:55.1.  Bamboo finished third.

ROSE RUN XTRA REPLAY

Trained by Ron Burke and owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services, and Jason Melillo, Rose Run Xtra has hit the board in all 12 starts, winning four.  The victory raised his lifetime earnings to $344,694.

Longshot and Rose Run Xtra will meet in the Sires Stakes finals scheduled for October 1 at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.

Ohio Sires Stakes action continues Tuesday, September 6 when two divisions of two-year-old filly pacers take to the MGM Northfield track.  First race post time is 6:00 PM.

For complete race results, click here.

by Frank Fraas, for the OHHA