Scioto: Champions crowned in The Next Generation events

A total of $600,000 was on the line for Ohio-sired 2-year-olds on Saturday night at Eldorado Scioto Downs as the five-eighths-mile oval hosted four $150,000 The Next Generation events.

Driver Chris Page and trainer Ron Burke posted a double, taking the filly pace with The Word Is Out in 1:52 2/5 and the colt and gelding pace with Swingtown in 1:53. The Word Is Out, who was making her career debut, was mired back on dull cover third-over at the 1:23 3/5 three-quarters, but fanned out four-wide on the final bend and rallied with a 28 second final kicker to defeat Queen Of Fear (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) by half a length, while Swingtown, another first-time starter, powered into the lead in the lane from the pocket and downed Downbytheparade (Aaron Merriman) by 2 1/2 lengths in a 1-2 finish for sire Downbytheseaside.

"Thankfully the pace was hot, and they came back to me," said Page about his win with The Word Is Out. "I like her, she's very good gaited.I really want them sharp for when the money is on the line, like tonight. She finished with late pace both qualifiers, and that is why she was able to go in 1:52 2/5 tonight."

The Word Is Out, by Well Said and bred by Shaffer And Sons, is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Knox Services Inc., Beasty LLC. and R A S Racing LLC., and Swingtown, who was bred by Steiner Stock Farm, is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services Inc., R A S Racing LLC. The Word Is Out paid $15.60 to win and Swingtown returned $5.00.

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Steiner Stock Farm was also the winning breeder in the colt and gelding trot as Whats Shakin, driven by trainer Ronnie Gillespie, rallied in the stretch despite losing cover past three-quarters and wore down Rose Run Ari (Brett Miller), who had been providing the tow before clearing to the top, by a length in a 1:55 4/5 mile. Whats Shakin, a What The Hill gelding, is owned by W.J. Donovan and was making his initial pari-mutuel appearance off one qualifier. He paid $5.00 to win.

"I knew the two and three horse had a lot of gate speed, so I wasn't looking to leave. I just wanted to get in good position," said Gillespie. "It's very special because last year I raced in this race with Sugar Instead and finished second, so I had to redeem myself. Then I was in the eighth race and my filly made a break, so it's real special.

"When I broke the colt, I didn't even like the colt. The minute I got down to about 2:20, he showed that he had a lot of heart and I told him (Donovan) that I wanted to put him in The Next Generation."

Rounding out the champions in The Next Generation was Aunt Lilly, who led through panels of 29, 1:00 and 1:28 4/5 en route to a 4 1/2 length triumph in 1:57 2/5 in the filly trot. The Samuel Stoltzfus-bred, owned by The Stable and Hutchison Harness, had also taken a Pop-Up Series test at The Meadows on June 22. She is trained by Jason McGinnis and returned $4.80 to win.

--quotes courtesy of Eldorado Scioto Downs--