Scioto: Jurassic Hattie, Sugar Instead deliver in Ohio Sires Stakes

Jurassic Hattie and Sugar Instead both stayed undefeated this year and gave sire Volstead and driver Brett Miller a sweep in the $65,000 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions for 3-year-old filly trotters that took place on Friday night at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

In the first split Jurassic Hattie led by open lengths at the 27 2/5 quarter, 56 4/5 half and 1:24 4/5 three-quarters and continued to pour it on in a 27 4/5 final kicker, widening her winning margin to 9 1/2 lengths. Butter N Syrup (Chris Lems) gapped the pocket but was a clear second from Createaqueen (Dan Noble).

A homebred for Jerry Welch, Jurassic Hattie is trained by Eric Nesselroad. She has a summary of 9-3-0 from 12 lifetime starts, has put away $252,334 and paid $2.20 to win as the 1-9 favorite.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

Legacy Affair (Sam Widger) carved out opening-half fractions of 27 3/5 and 56 3/5 in the other grouping, but Sugar Instead, last year's Ohio Sires Stakes champion for this group, came first-up out of third nearing the half and forged her way by Legacy Affair on the rim before the 1:24 4/5 three-quarters went on the board. Sugar Instead would clear and drop back to the cones in front of Legacy Affair early on the final bend, and although Legacy Affair re-rallied in the stretch, Sugar Instead fended her off by a length in 1:53 2/5. Roxanna (Aaron Merriman) rallied from fifth to third in the last quarter.

Virgil Morgan Jr. trains Sugar Instead, a bred by Elmer Miller, for owners Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills. Sugar Instead has 11 wins, two seconds and a third from 15 career appearances, sent her bankroll to $431,425 and returned $2.20 to win as the 1-9 favorite.