Scioto: Five-bagger for Wrenn Jr. in Next Generation, Ohio Sires Stakes

All four $150,000 divisions of the Next Generation for freshmen Ohio-sired horses on Saturday (July 4) at Eldorado Scioto Downs were tightly contested, creating exciting races for those trackside and who joined to watch via the simulcast show or on Fox Sports.

The male pacers were the last division raced, with Don'ttruckwithme winning in 1:52 2/5. It was the second straight Next Generation win for breeder Judy Roegner and broodmare Age Of Consent, as I'llbetyourboots won the 2025 division in 1:52.

Initially getting away third, Don'ttruckwithme was not content to sit, and after getting a little rough gaited, driver Chris Lems moved him to the top by the 27 2/5 opening quarter. As the field straightened to go down the stretch for the first time, Atlee Bender continued to move Atlantic Ivey, who had yet to see a pylon, on from fourth and took the lead before the 56 1/5 half. North Rim (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) made a first-over bid heading to the 1:25 2/5 three-quarters but couldn't get past the pace-setter. As the field straightened out down the stretch, Lems angled Don'ttruckwithme, and the pair posted a 26 4/5 last quarter to win by a half-length. Atlantic Ivey was second, with North Rim third.

"I was a little surprised, scoring down he was plenty aggressive; he had an ear hood on so I was prepared for the worst," said Lems. "But actually in the race, he drove really nicely. He left, let a couple go, re-moved, let another one go; I couldn't ask for much more."

It was the first start and win in the Next Generation for trainer Daren Harvey. A $37,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from Roegner by Wayne Mast, Eden Acres Farmstead and Kirk Nichols, Don'ttruckwithme prepped for Saturday's event with two qualifiers, the most recent being a 1:56 2/5 victory. Don'ttruckwithme is a gelding by Catch The Fire and his dam, Age Of Consent, is by Real Desire.

Don'ttruckwithme went off as the 2-1 second favorite and paid $6.80 to win.

Another trainer, Vernon Beachy, won his first Next Generation race when trotting filly Made For More won the first of the Next Generation races on the card in 1:56 4/5.

Lolly and Ronnie Gillespie set the early fractions of 28 4/5 and 59 1/5 as Wrenn Jr. was content getting Made For More away third. The pair came first-up down the backside and as the field hit the 1:28 2/5 three-quarters, Made For More was just a half-length off the lead. Coming down the stretch, Made For More continued to advance, winning by a half-length over a fast-closing Kissme Ifyoucan (Austin Hanners); Dublins Ferani (Anthony MacDonald), who got the pocket trip, finished third.

Made For More is owned by breeder John Schlabach and is by Long Tom out of the Chapter Seven mare Obsessed Blue Chip. The filly prepped for the Next Generation by winning two qualifiers in 2:03 and 2:02 3/5.

"She did that really easy tonight actually," said Wrenn Jr. "She handled it well with a lot of fireworks going on, first time racing at night. You're not sure what to expect with a 2-year-old filly, but she handled it well and raced great."

Made For More went off at 8-1 and paid $19.80 to win.

Wrenn Jr. made it a habit of getting away third and making a move down the backside when he took the very next Next Generation, for filly pacers, in 1:52 3/5. Tempting Flames and Tony Hall were the first to make the lead but yielded early to Breadnbutterz (Brett Miller) as the field headed towards the 27 3/5 opening quarter. Breadnbutterz continued to lead at the 57 3/5 half, but Wrenn Jr. had Real Classy on the move and on top by the 1:25 three-quarters. Tempting Flames came up the passing lane to make a bid for the lead but fell just a quarter-length short; Breadnbutterz held on for third.

Real Classy, a homebred for Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Let It Ride Stables, gave trainer Ron Burke his 10th Next Generation win. The Downbytheseaside filly out of the Real Desire mare Real Diva prepped for the race with a couple qualifiers, her most recent winning in 1:58 2/5, coming home in 27 4/5.

Real Classy went off at 7-1 and paid $17.40 to win.

Trainer Chris Beaver got his second Next Generation win with Commanders Moni when Mike Wilder steered the colt trotter to victory in 1:55 1/5. Getting away third, Wilder watched as Lou Armstrong (MacDonald) set early fractions of 28 and 57 2/5. Walks The Fire (Wrenn Jr.) put the pressure on, and the duo on top battled it out down the backside. Wilder continued to sit third along the rail, and by the 1:25 three-quarters, pulled to make his bid. He went on to win by two lengths over Satan's Fury (Lems); Sweet T’s Ranger (Chris Page) was fourth-placed-third due to Lou Armstrong being placed back for going inside multiple pylons.

"He makes my job real easy," said Wilder after the race. "I had a good idea if he had to go there, I thought he might (go in 1:55 1/5). He trotted a 28 1/5 backside (in his last start) that particular day, and he felt like he was going in 30 seconds, so I knew the motor was in there."

Commanders Moni was a $20,000 purchase at the Fall Blooded Horse Sale from Midland Acres. By Ready for Moni out of the CR Commando mare Kelsey's Commando, the colt is owned by Commanders Moni Stable, Mark Schwartz and Mark Robinson.

Commanders Moni went off at 10-1 and paid $22.40 to win.

The first leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes was historically over the 4th of July weekend, but when the Next Generation was started, in 2020 for pacers and 2021 for trotters, it became the first outing for Ohio-sired 2-year-olds. This year the first leg of the OHSS for 2-year-old trotters will be held July 11 at Scioto and for 2-year-old pacers, the colts will race on July 12 and fillies on July 13 at Northfield Park.

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Three-year-old fillies compete in Ohio Sires Stakes action on Next Generation undercard

Six $50,000 divisions of the Ohio Sire Stakes for 3-year-old fillies went behind the gate Saturday (July 4) at Eldorado Scioto Downs. Four divisional winners set new lifetime marks, with the last winner of the night, Vanna By The River, demolishing her previous best by over three seconds, winning in 1:50.

Setting fractions of 26 4/5, 54 4/5 and 1:21 4/5, driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. had a strong hold of Vanna By The River and attempted to put some separation between them and the rest of the field. The duo crossed the wire three-quarters of a length ahead of Laude Da (Chris Page) and Sassy By The Sea (Tyler Smith). Vanna By The Sea went off at 2-1 and paid $6.40 to win.

Owned by Our Three Sons Stable and trained by Cory Stratton, Vanna By The River's win was her third in 21 lifetime starts. Now with $168,445 in earnings, the daughter of Downbytheseaside out of the Sweet Lou mare Sweet Ace was a $48,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from LMN Bred Stables.

Wrenn Jr. won another pacing division in 1:50 3/5 with Seaside Charm for trainer Ron Burke. Getting the perfect pocket trip behind Rodeo Dancer (Brett Miller), Seaside Charm came up the passing lane to win, in a new lifetime mark, for owners Thomas and Scott Dillon. By Downbytheseaside and out of the Bettor's Delight mare Summer Charm, Seaside Charm was bred by Brookside Stables and Amos Lengacher. The filly now has five wins in 13 starts and $115,180 in earnings. The 8-5 second favorite won over Rodeo Dancer; Beach Babe Hanover (Justin Irvine) was third.

Rhodena Blue made her first jump up into OHSS action a winning one when Tyler Smith guided her to victory in 1:52. The pair made a third-quarter brush to advance from seventh to second down the backside and just got up to win by a half-length over Bad Girl Up (Mike Wilder) and Seaside Shiffle (Page). Co-owned by 11-year-old Rory Mac Innis and her father Neil, who also bred and trains, Rhodena Blue now has four wins in 13 starts and $57,578 in earnings. The daughter of Lather Up out of the Camluck mare Mc Taylor went off at 4-1 and paid $10.20 to win.

One of the three divisions of trotters saw last year's Dan Patch 2-year-old Trotting Filly of the Year Setyoursightshigh win her first race of the season in 1:54. Getting away fourth, Setyoursightshigh and Mike Wilder moved just at the half and won by two lengths over Mooter Tooter (Miller) and Sarah's Mission (Page). By In Range and out of the Cantab Hall mare Special Interest, Setyoursightshigh was a $50,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase from Kentuckiana Farms and has now earned $729,409 lifetime. Owned by Heights Stable, Mantorp, AMG Stable and K Kjellgren Livs AB, Saturday's victory was her eighth win in 15 lifetime starts.

Joyofmylife As & Tony Hall went gate-to-wire to win the first race on the card in 1:54 2/5. The Guardian Angel As filly out of the Muscle Hill mare Josie's Joy is a homebred for ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson. The mile established a new lifetime mark for Joyofmylife As, who now has five wins in 12 starts and $115,375 in lifetime earnings. Going off at 16-1, Joyofmylife AS paid $35.40 to win. Godusa (Wilder) was second with Fairytale Moni (Miller) third.

Chip Shot, driven by Wrenn Jr., took her division, also as a new lifetime mark of 1:54 2/5, for trainer Vernon Beachy. The Mission Accepted filly out of the Chapter Seven mare Obsessed Blue Chip is now two-for-two on the season, with six lifetime wins in 11 starts. Chip Shot has earned $63,478 for co-owner/breeder John Schlabach and Walnut View Farm. Readi Two (Hugh Beatty) came from the back to get up for second with Lindy In My Dreams (Wilder) finishing third.

The 91-day 2026 Eldorado Scioto Downs regular season runs through Saturday, September 19. Races are held Tuesday-Saturday, with a special holiday card on Labor Day instead of the Tuesday card that week. The track will then re-open for the Breeders Crown, with eliminations held October 16-17 and the finals October 23-24. 

--press release (Scioto)--