Delaware County Fair: Ohio Breeders Championships featured on Sunday

Racing returned to the Delaware (Ohio) County Fair on Sunday afternoon as Little Brown Jug week commenced. The opening day features were Ohio Breeders Championship events for 2-year-old filly pacers and older pacers.

Luthers Sweep Ohio Breeders Championship for Rookie Filly Pacers

The Luther brothers – owner Greg Luther and trainer Todd Luther - and driver Austin Hanners swept the $133,600 (div.) Ohio Breeders Championship for 2-year-old filly pacers on Sunday at the Delaware County Fair.

In the second $66,800 division, Hanners fired Skywalker Sea out of post position five and grabbed the early lead and sprinted past the quarter in 27 3/5. The field of six raced single-file past the half in 56 3/5, and Lilly Grace Hill (Kayne Kauffman) was the first to challenge, but she was parked past the three-quarters in 1:24 3/5. Skywalker Sea put her away and then used a 28 1/5 last quarter to win by 7 1/4 lengths in 1:52 4/5.

The homebred daughter of Downbytheseaside went to the winner's circle for the third time in 2024 and pushed her earnings to $115,600.

The complexion of the first split changed when the heavily-favored The Word Is Out (Chris Page) made a break in stride at the start, allowing Prolific Fire to grab the lead early en route to a win in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:53 3/5. Queen Of Fear (Brett Miller) was a length back in second. The Word Is Out rebounded to take the show spot.

The winner is from the first crop of Catch The Fire and was bred by Spring Haven Farm.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Seafire Takes OBC Aged Pace

Chris Page gave Seafire a patient steer and was able to wear down the pace-setting Act Fast (Aaron Merriman) in the final strides in the $36,000 OBC Aged Pace.

The 4-year-old Downbytheseaside stallion sat second behind Act Fast through the quarters in 26 4/5, 54 2/5 and 1:21 1/5. Page angled the eventual winner off the rail in the final turn and got up at the finish line to score by a nose in 1:50. Charlie May (Dan Noble) was third in the three-horse win photo.

Seafire is conditioned by Brian Brown for Country Club Acres, Joelyn Ridder, Mark Kantrowitz, and Scott Davis. He was bred by Enos A. Weaver.

Oldford Takes Fouts Memorial

Driver Steve Oldford, substituting for the Southern Tier Amateur Club at Tioga Downs, won the $5,000 Tim Fouts Memorial Standardbred Driving Championship. Oldford steered JK's Champ to a 1:54 4/5 victory. The winner is owned by Robert A. Rodrigues and trained by Walter Haynes, Jr. The event brings the top amateur drivers from around the country.

Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association Trots to Ferrari and Johnson

Christina Johnson watched a pair of dueling leaders, benefited from the quick pace and guided Nothingbutadreamer to a 1:55 1/5 victory in the second division of the amateur trot. Larry Ferrari and Lmc Mass Gem took the first section in 1:58.

--edited press release (Delaware County Fair/Little Brown Jug)--