Northfield: Page, Burke strike twice in Ohio Sires Stakes
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Ohio Sires Stakes races for 3-year-old colts and geldings got going on Saturday night at MGM Northfield Park with a pair of $65,000 flights for both pacers and trotters.
Driver Chris Page and trainer Ron Burke swept the paces with Fear The Hate and Rick Wink. Fear The Hate, a Fear The Dragon colt, secured the lead before the 27 4/5 quarter in his test, and after middle-half panels of 57 3/5 and 1:25 4/5, he sprinted home in 27 to defeat Pants On Fire (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) by a length and a half in 1:52 4/5.
Meanwhile, Rick Wink, a colt by Bit Of A Legend N, moved from the pocket to the point after the 27 4/5 opening quarter in his division, and he maintained command through a 57 4/5 half and a 1:25 2/5 three-quarters on his way to a 1 1/2 length decision over Downbythewater (Wrenn Jr.).
Fear The Hate, bred by Emerald Highlands Farm, is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Knox Services Inc. and Beasty LLC. He has five wins and a second from eight tries, has earned $67,500 and paid $4.40 to win.
Burke Racing Stable LLC., R A S Racing LLC., Knox Services Inc. and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby own Rick Wink, who now has a summary of 9-0-1 from ten trips behind the gate. The Larry Miller-bred has pocketed $308,250 and returned $2.10 to win.
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In the trotting tests, Vekna, driven by trainer Kayne Kauffman, won from first-up in 1:56 3/5 after eventual second-place finisher What A Buckeye (Dan Noble) cut fractions of 28 2/5, 58 3/5 and 1:27 3/5, and Battle Hill (Wrenn Jr.) was in front at the 28 2/5 quarter, 58 2/5 half and 1:27 2/5 three-quarters on his way to a 1:56 3/5 victory in his section, bettering pocket-sitter Scrappys Love (Noble) by a length.
Owned by Natalie Kauffman and bred by Spring Haven Farm, Vekna, an Enterprise gelding, now has eight victories and a second from nine career appearances and has put away $91,122. He paid $2.40 to win.
Battle Hill, a gelded son of Marseille, was sent out by Matt Burkholder for owner William Hartt. He made his seventh trip to the winner's circle in his 13th effort, has banked $235,750 and returned $5.80 to win.