Northfield: Sugar Instead improves to eight-for-eight this year

Sugar Instead maintained her perfect record in 2024 thanks to a 1:55 2/5 victory in a $100,000 Ohio Sires Stakes showdown for sophomore trotting fillies on Wednesday night at MGM Northfield Park.

Driver Brett Miller planted Sugar Instead in the pocket behind Jurassic Hattie (Kurt Sugg) and watched as Jurassic Hattie hit the quarter in 28 1/5 and the half in 58 2/5. Miller brought Sugar Instead to the outside passing the 1:27, and Sugar Instead and Jurassic Hattie would hook up in a battle around the final bend.

Coming off the turn, Sugar Instead had a narrow advantage over Jurassic Hattie, but that would widen through the lane as Sugar Instead put Jurassic Hattie and trotted off to a 4 3/4 length victory. Jurassic Hattie held second and Roxanna (Aaron Merriman) was the third-place finisher.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

The Ohio Sires Stakes champion for this group last year, Sugar Instead has a summary of 15-2-1 from 19 appearances, has pocketed $606,019 and paid $2.60 to win as the 1-5 favorite. Sugar Instead, a daughter of Volstead, was bred by Elmer Miller and is trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. for owners Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills.