Refined favored in $260,000 Charlie Hill Memorial

For the past two years, the connections of female trotter Refined (Uncle Peter) have considered retiring the harness racing mare so she could begin the next chapter of her life as a mother. Refined, however, has refused to slow down.

Since the end of 2022, Refined has hit the board in 26 of 39 races, winning a dozen and earning $409,267. The 8-year-old has won twice this season in 1:51.4, just one-fifth of a second off her career best, which she established three years ago. Her most recent 1:51.4 score came just a week ago when she captured the Ohio Sire Stakes championship for trotting mares at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

For her career, the daughter of Uncle Peter-Reinvent has won 43 of 129 starts, earned a paycheck 112 times, and banked $1.16 million.

“As good as she’s racing, it’s really hard to justify breeding her,” said Virgil Morgan Jr., who began training Refined during her 3-year-old season. “I guess you could say that she is as sharp as she has ever been right now. She’s just been ultra-consistent her whole life. Ever since we’ve had her, she’s never really thrown a bad race. Her record speaks for itself.”

Refined, whose top career win came last year when she upset Bella Bellini in the Armbro Flight Stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park, has often competed against male rivals in recent years in the opens at Scioto Downs, and she will see the boys again Saturday in the $260,000 Charlie Hill Memorial at the central Ohio five-eighths-mile oval.

One of two mares in the 10-horse field, Refined will start from post 10 with driver Dan Noble. She is the 7-2 morning-line favorite. Lexus Cody, who won the Vincennes in 1:49.4 on Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands and missed by a head to Jiggy Jog S in the Sebastian K Invitational on Aug. 17 at Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Pocono Downs, is the 9-2 second choice.

Refined’s starting position is in the second tier at Scioto Downs and has produced a track-low 5-percent winners this year.

“That statistic doesn’t bode well for us, but I don’t think it really will affect her because she will track a horse really good,” Morgan said. “Hopefully (Kierkegaard K in post one) can get out of there good. I would like to hope we would get away relatively close, no worse than third or fourth, wishful thinking.”

Refined is owned by Joyce McClelland and Larry Willis. In addition to her victory in the Armbro Flight, she is a two-time Ohio Sire Stakes champion. She finished second in the 2022 TVG Mares final at The Meadowlands, as well as in the 2021 and 2023 editions of the Tom Aldrich President’s Trot at Northfield Park. She was third behind Bella Bellini and Atlanta in the 2022 Breeders Crown at Mohawk.

“She’s been a really good ride for the owners,” Morgan said. “She just shows up every week. She’s just a really good-looking, rugged mare. I think the best part about her is she might be one of the most tactical racehorses I’ve ever had. I’ve seen her win from dead last, I’ve seen her win on the front end cutting it. She’s won first-over, she’s won from the two-hole; she always has a shot. You just let her know what you want her to do. She’s definitely special.”

Lexus Kody, who has been worse than second only twice in 12 races this year, is one of two horses in the Hill Memorial from the stable of trainer Ron Burke. Lexus Kody will leave from post four with driver Chris Page. The other Burke starter, Chapercraz, will go from post seven with driver Yannick Gingras and is 6-1 on the morning line.

Gingras has won the past four editions of the Hill Memorial, with four different horses for three different trainers. He won last year with Incommunicado for trainer Ake Svanstedt, in 2022 with Cuatro De Julio for Marie Ortolan Bar, in 2021 with It’s Academic and in 2020 with Atlanta. The last two were for Burke, who has won the race a total of three times.

Scioto’s Saturday card also features the $250,000 Jim Ewart Memorial for older male pacers. I Did It Myway brings a four-race win streak to the event and is the 3-1 morning-line favorite. He will leave from post three with Matt Kakaley in the sulky for trainer Travis Alexander.

The 10-horse field also includes 2022 Ewart champ Charlie May, who won the Ohio Sire Stakes championship for older male pacers last week at Scioto, and 2023 Dan Patch Award-winner Bythemissal, who returns to action for the first time since June. He qualified in 1:51.3 last week at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows.

Racing begins at 5:52 p.m. (EDT) at Eldorado Scioto Downs. For free race programs, visit the track’s website.

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

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA