Northfield: Sea Silk, Gulf Shores dazzle in Ohio Sires Stakes Championships

Sea Silk and Gulf Shores both remained undefeated in their careers in the paces, and trainer Chris Beaver won both trots with Gabbys C Note and The Mighty Hill in the $300,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Championships for 2-year-olds on Sunday night at Northfield Park.

Starting from post eight in the filly pace proved little obstacle to Sea Silk, as she left quickly for driver Chris Page and took the lead away from stablemate Cape Cod Hanover (David Miller) past the 27 1/5 opening quarter. From there, Sea Silk sailed through a 55 3/5 half and a 1:23 4/5 three-quarters, then sealed the 1:51 2/5 mile with a 27 3/5 final quarter, breaking Summer Touch's world record for a rookie pacing filly by two-fifths of a second. Trainer Ron Burke ended up sweeping the trifecta, as Cape Cod Hanover and Dragon Lady (Yannick Gingras) were second and third.

"She has just been flawless this year," said winning assistant trainer Mickey Burke Jr. "Everything we've asked her to do, she's done.

"Ronnie will normally take them to Lexington. I'm not positive of that, but I would say it's a definite possibility. We've done so well with some of these Ohio-breds. Get a start in them down there, and it's so nice to race on that track."

Burke trains Sea Silk, a daughter of Downbytheseaside, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Weaver Bruscemi LLC., Knox Services Inc., and Hatfield Stables. She has now put away $340,000 from her seven trips behind the gate, and she returned $4.80 to win as the second choice. Sea Silk, bred by Steiner Stock Farm, was a $47,000 Ohio Selected Jug Sale buy and is the third foal out of the Bettor's Delight mare Silk Purse (1:53 2/5, $112,336), a full sister to Malicious (1:50 1/5, $788,720).

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Gulf Shores, driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr., secured the pocket behind Sling Shock (Dan Noble) and remained in that position through a 26 2/5 opening quarter and a 56 3/5 half. Wrenn Jr. then pulled the trigger two-wide with his charge as they raced in the backstretch for the final time, and he passed Sling Shock to take the top spot beyond the 1:24 2/5 three-quarters. From there, it was all Gulf Shores as he pulled away to score by four lengths in 1:52 1/5. Terminator (Chris Page) was the runner-up after sitting on the inside in the three-hole, and Sling Shock faded to third.

"We were going a pretty good clip, and I knew Danny had a nice colt. Down the backside I had to make a race out of it, and my horse didn't disappoint. All year long I thought he was the best colt, and tonight I think he showed it," stated Wrenn Jr. "I qualified him twice at Delaware, and I told Brian he was special. I think down the road he might be thinking Breeders Crown this year, so hopefully he'll get the chance to perform on a bigger stage."

A colt from the first crop of Downbytheseaside, Gulf Shores is trained by Brian Brown for owners Country Club Acres Inc., Crossover Racing, and Wingfield Brothers LLC. Gulf Shores, who was bred by Joe Sbrocco, Joe McLead, and William Walters, sold for $100,000 at the 2020 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is the third foal out of the Dragon Again mare Western Drag, a half-sister to the likes of Stormy West (Artiscape, 1:50 1/5, $345,355). Gulf Shores has earned $250,500 to go with his five-for-five record, and he paid $2.40 to win as the 1-5 favorite.

"He's a special little horse. I described as a brown paper bag in Florida. He was just ordinary, doesn't do anything. He still doesn't, but he just goes out and races every time," said Brown. "He wins. He made a big move down the backstretch. He went around a very nice horse and did it pretty handily."

In the filly trot, Gabbys C Note (Aaron Merriman) went to the point from the pole position and chopped out fractions of 28 4/5, 58 1/5, and 1:27 3/5 on her way to tallying by three lengths in 1:56 3/5. Be My Baby Now (Page) was the runner-up, and Martysmagicmoment (D. Miller) overcame a break while attempting to challenge the eventual winner going to the opening quarter, to finish third.

"I kept her real calm in the post parade. She only had one bad day here when she had the eight-hole that start. She was very, very calm today," stated Merriman. "She just made it easy. She's a talented filly."

Gabbys C Note, a Triumphant Caviar filly, was bred by Chris's mom, Johanna, and they share ownership with Steven Zeehandelar. She has won five times from six efforts, has pocketed $227,650, and returned $2.40 to win. She is the third foal out of the Credit Winner mare Gabby's Creditcard (1:58, $135,694) and a full sister to Gabbysloosechange (1:54 4/5, $186,585).

The colt and gelding trot was a break-filled affair, but the Miller cousins, David and Brett, kept their horses, Rose Run Xtra and The Mighty Hill, on-stride, with Rose Run Xtra showing the way through panels of 28 1/5, 57 3/5, and 1:27 1/5. Brett brought The Mighty Hill to the outside before three-quarters, and it was a ding-dong battle right to the wire, with The Mighty Hill poking a nose in front at the beam in a track record 1:55 4/5. Rose Run Xtra was a tough-beat second, and Gabbys Bit Coin (Wrenn Jr.) was third after miscuing past the start.

"These are the kinds of nights you dream about," said Brett Miller, who collected his third Ohio Sires Stakes Championship on the card. "I pulled out of the two-hole a little too early there. His trotter has a lot of trot left. Thank God this colt here wore just wore him down. I should have sat in the two-hole a little longer.

"This colt, he felt really good. He has really good manners. He felt quick. He feels like one nice colt."

Beaver also co-owns The Mighty Hill, a gelding from the first crop of What The Hill, with partners Donald Robinson and VIP Internet Stable LLC. The Mighty Hill, who has a record of 5-1-0 from seven tries, has a bankroll of $213,485, and paid $12.20 to win. The Mighty Hill is the second foal out of the Tagliabue mare Maxine The Mighty (1:55 2/5, $197,510), a half-sister to Sarkozy (Credit Winner, 1:54 2/5, $306,157).