Scioto: Merriman nets a hat trick in Ohio Sires Stakes

Driver Aaron Merriman steered three of the four winners in Ohio Sires Stakes action for 2-year-old trotters on Tuesday at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

Merriman took the second of two $55,000 splits for fillies with Possibility in 1:56. Starting from post six, she launched straight to the front, carved out panels of 29 2/5, 59 4/5 and 1:27 1/5, and held sway to the finish line, defeating pocket-sitter She's Spicy (Chris Page) by three-quarters of a length. Sister Wives (Austin Hanners) got third.

Chris Beaver trains and co-owns Possibility, a daughter of What The Hill bred by Doug Millard and purchased for $95,000 at last year's Ohio Selected Jug Sale, with partners W.J. Donovan, Joe Sbrocco and Mark Moger. She broke her maiden in her third try, pushed her earnings to $55,500 and paid $4.00 to win as the even-money favorite.

Tennessee Tom (Page) was the favorite in the first $55,000 tilt for the colts and geldings, but he broke on the first turn, leaving Rose Run Zoom (Don Irvine Jr.) and Royal Precedent (Merriman) in front. Merriman took command with Royal Precedent after the 27 3/5 quarter, and after backing down the middle-half to 58 and 1:27 4/5, he got home in 29 1/5 to defeat a rallying TT's Magnum Force (Jason Thompson) by half a length in 1:57. Rose Run Zoom wound up third.

A gelding by Creatine, Royal Precedent was bred by owner Claude Gendreau Stb Inc. and is trained by Sam Schillaci. Royal Precedent has two wins and a second from three efforts, has now banked $40,750 and returned $11.60 to win as the 9-2 third choice.

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In the other flight for the boys, Beaver and Merriman connected with Spaaaanzano in 1:57. In the same fashion as their victory with Possibility, Merriman gunned Spaaaanzano to the top from the seven-hole, chopped out a 28 4/5 quarter, 59 4/5 half and 1:29 three-quarters, then sprinted home in 28 seconds to down pocket-sitting Commander Tom (Hanners) by 2 3/4 lengths. A Million In Coins (Page) collected third.

Beaver also co-owns Spaaaanzano, a Timothy Stutzman-bred gelding by Coraggioso, with Spaaaartners, Bill Manes and Leo Fleming. One of the members of Spaaaartners is Tom Durkin, longtime voice of the Thoroughbred Triple Crown. Spaaaanzano has been victorious in all three of his appearances thus far, has put away $122,500 and paid $3.40 to win as the 3-5 favorite.

Sugar Instead (Ronnie Gillespie) was the only horse able to break the Merriman stranglehold on the Ohio Sires Stakes proceedings back in the first grouping for the fillies. After racing in third at the 28 second quarter and 58 3/5 half, Sugar Instead made a first-over advance that carried her into the lead prior to the 1:27 4/5 three-quarters. From there Sugar Instead remained clear, prevailing over a closing Iam Independent (Page) by a length and a half in a 1:56 2/5 mile, with Midnight Daydream (Hanners) back in third.

The winning daughter of first-crop sire Volstead is trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. for owners Joyce McClelland and David Wills. Sugar Instead, who was bred by Elmer Miller, has a summary of 2-1-0 from three trips behind the gate, has pocketed $85,000 and returned $5.00 to win as the 3-2 second choice.