Delaware County Fair: Scrappy's Love, Battle Hill take Tuesday's OBC divisions

Scrappy's Love withstood extended pressure from Lt Loverboy and scored a nose victory in the $137,000 (div) Ohio Breeders Championship for 2-year-old male trotters in Tuesday action at the Delaware County Fair.

Driver Mike Wilder used his rail position and established control of the field and fractions of 29 1/5 and 58 4/5. Nearing the half, Brett Miller pulled Lt Loverboy out of the three-hole and pressured Scrappy's Love past the three-quarters in 1:27 4/5. Scrappy's Love and Lt Loverboy raced in tandem the final quarter, and the two appeared to hit the line together in 1:56 2/5, but the photo finish showed Scrappy's Love held on. Whats Shakin (Ronnie Gillespie) and Rose Run Ari (Austin Hanners) rounded out the top four.

Scrappy's Love is a son of Long Tom and was bred by Walter S. Fister. He is owned by Gil Short and Jeffrey Bankey and trained by Chris Beaver. He has now been first or second in six of seven seasonal starts.

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Battle Hill and Chris Lems benefited from a couple of opportune breaks in stride by a challenger and a leader and won back in the first $68,500 section.

When the gates wings folded, the eventual winner grabbed the lead in the first eighth of the mile and relinquished control to Hilltop Sonar (Chris Page) past the opening quarter in 28 3/5. As the field of eight approached the half in 58 2/5, Stud Muffin T (Tyler Smith) was the first to challenge Hilltop Sonar, but broke stride going into the five-eighths-mile pole. Oso Fast (David Miller) found himself first-over after and applied pressure on the leader past three-quarters in 1:27 2/5.

As the leading Hilltop Sonar turned for home, he broke stride and was pulled inside the pylons. Battle Hill inherited the lead and victory in 1:57 1/5. Uncle Moneybags (Aaron Merriman) was promoted to second and Power Hill (Austin Hanners) was ascended to third.

The Marseille gelding is trained by Matthew Burkholder for William A. Hartt. He was bred by Galliers Racing.

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