Scioto: Big Ranger’s connections eye second straight OHSS Championship

Big Ranger’s connections couldn’t have asked much more from him during his freshman season in 2025. He won all seven of his starts and banked $370,610 and finished the year as an Ohio Sires Stakes champion, Ohio Triple Crown winner, and the Ohio Horse of the Year. Though his perfect record is no longer intact, his sophomore campaign has been another huge success.

“It has been a very successful, very exciting season so far,” said Anthony Miller, of the Madison Global group that owns Big Ranger. “Right off the bat, he had a couple races that could’ve gone a little better. But he seems to be doing very well now.”

Miller is joined by Wes Beachy, Reuben Hershberger, and Benjamin Shrock in the Madison Global group based in Dundee, Ohio. Following Big Ranger’s success as a freshman, they wanted to see how he would fare at the Grand Circuit level as a sophomore this year and have been pleased with the results. In his first start of 2026 — the James K. Hackett Memorial Final — the son of In Range out of Big Blue Bird made an early break and finished last. But he has five wins and one second in eight starts on the year while banking $402,337. And he isn’t finished.

⇒ Get FREE Harness Eye PPs, full card analysis & watch the Scioto card LIVE!

Big Ranger is one of nine sophomore colt trotters vying for an Ohio Sires Stakes title in this milestone 50th season of the series as Scioto Downs hosts all eight $300,000 divisions of the Scarlet Championships as part of a 16-race card on Saturday (Sept. 12) starting at 5:25 p.m. While he drew the unfavorable nine hole, he is the prohibitive morning-line favorite at 8-5 ahead of 7-2 second choice Tom Largo, who will leave from the rail.

A win on Saturday would add to an already successful campaign that includes a win in the $75,000 Oak Grove Trotting Derby Consolation, a victory in two $75,000 legs of the OSS, and a triumph in a $20,000 leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series. Those results were highlighted by his record performances in the OSS at Scioto Downs. His 1:51 2/5 mile in the second leg was a track record, and he subsequently lowered it in the third leg with a mark of 1:50 3/5.

“To see a trotter go that fast is always a thrill, and it’s even more so when it happens to be yours,” Beachy said.

But the true thrill came in the Hambletonian at the Meadowlands last month. Driven by Tim Tetrick, Big Ranger won his Hambletonian Elimination race in a stakes-record 1:50 and went on to feature in one of the most exciting finishes in Hambletonian Final history. Racing for a $1 million purse, Big Ranger was side by side with Apex nearing the finish line, and the two horses tripped the wire in a photo finish in a stakes-record 1:49 2/5. After several minutes, Apex was declared the winner by the slimmest of margins. Despite the defeat, it was an experience that Miller and Beachy will never forget.

“The emotions were definitely high in a good way,” Beachy said. “Being able to take family and friends and have the race go like it went was amazing. It was beyond anything I had ever experienced.”

“Just being there in that atmosphere with that caliber of horses was a great experience,” Miller added. “Of course, we would’ve loved to have won it, but that finish with them coming down to the wire like that will always be one of my favorite memories. My heart was beating so fast, and I wasn’t sure who had won. I’ll never forget that feeling. We were second by the slimmest of margins, but I’m still very proud of the horse. He definitely showed that he can compete at that level.”

Big Ranger hasn’t raced since the Hambletonian on Aug. 8 but is well positioned for Saturday’s OSS Championship based on conversations with trainer Anette Lorentzon.

“I talked to her a few days ago, and she said he seems to be doing very well,” Miller said. “She sent me a video of him jogging on Wednesday, and he looked really good.”

With Tetrick back in the bike, all eyes will be on Big Ranger as he looks to repeat as an OSS champion on Saturday. But his connections know the field contains several talented competitors. Tom Largo (Chris Lems) is perhaps chief among them, as the Long Tom gelding scored wins in four of the five legs of the OSS as part of a 6-5-0 record in 11 starts with earnings of $224,850 on the year. He finished four and three-quarter lengths behind Big Ranger in their third-leg matchup, but both Beachy and Miller know to never assume a victory.

“There are a lot of good quality horses in that field, and you can’t count your chickens before they hatch,” Beachy said. “I would not dare assume that it’s a guaranteed win.”

“I definitely think Big Ranger can win it, but anything can happen on any given night,” Miller added.

They’ll enter Saturday’s race with no expectations of victory, but they’re hoping to leave Scioto Downs with what would be a very meaningful back-to-back OSS champion in Big Ranger.

“It’s in Ohio and kind of at his home track, so it would be very nice to win it,” Beachy said.

Miller agreed.

“To do it two years in a row would be a dream come true,” he said.

A preview of each of the remaining divisions of colts is below.

Sophomore Colt Pacers

Tsunami Seas (David Miller) opened as the 3-1 favorite after drawing the rail and will leave alongside 7-2 second choice When Is Parade (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) in post two. Tsunami Seas is a Downbytheseaside gelding trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. for owners Jeffrey Rector, Larry Wills, and Hutchison Harness. He has five wins in 11 seasonal starts, including a victory in the fifth leg of the OSS. He owns a career record of 6-8-1 in 18 starts with $130,707 in earnings and a lifetime mark of 1:49 1/5. When Is Parade, also a winner in the fifth leg, is trained by Ron Burke. Up In Place (Tetrick), a Marvin Luna trainee with three OSS wins this year, is 6-for-6 this season and opened with 4-1 odds after drawing post seven.

Freshman Colt Trotters

Three Ready For Moni geldings — Iluvmymoni, Mind On My Moni, and Debt Free — highlight the freshman colt trot division as three-leg winners. Debt Free (Wrenn Jr.) opened as the 9-5 favorite and will leave from post three. The Ready For Moni gelding is trained by Vernon Beachy for owners 518 Group, Gitup Racing, Ryan Smith, and Todd’s Auto. He has hit the board in all six seasonal starts with four wins, one second, and one third to go with $158,750 in earnings. His OSS victories came in the third, fourth, and fifth legs, the latter of which was in a lifetime mark of 1:54 1/5. Stablemate Mind On My Moni (Mike Wilder) and Steve Carter trainee Iluvmymoni (David Miller) opened as the co-second choice at 5-2 and will leave from posts two and one, respectively. Mind On My Moni set a new track record of 1:53 3/5 at Scioto Downs in the third leg of the OSS, and Iluvmymoni’s 1:54 3/5 in the fourth leg was a track record and world record for freshman gelded trotters on a half-mile track.

Freshman Colt Pacers

Don’ttruckwithme, Night Surfer, and Jett James scored three wins apiece through five legs of the OSS this year. Jett James (Brett Miller) opened as the favorite at 5-2 after drawing post four. The Monte Miki gelding is owned and trained by Adam Short. He has a 5-1-2 record in eight seasonal starts with $154,185 in earnings. His lifetime mark of 1:51 1/5 came in the fourth leg of the OSS in between victories in the third and fifth legs. Morgan Jr. trainee Night Surfer (Luke Hanners) is the 3-1 second choice and will leave from the far outside. Don’ttruckwithme (Lems), trained by Daren Harvey, drew post three and opened with 7-2 odds.

-edited release (by Wes Mayberry for OHHA)