Scioto: Ohio Super Weekend gets underway with Gray Championships

If there was ever a time to break your maiden, winning a $100,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Gray Championship seems to be a good time. Three of the four 2-year-old divisions saw first time winners take the top spot - Jidoo Bythesea (2CP, 1:54 1/5), Dancin Miki (2FP, 1:53 2/5) and Kikionamission (2FT, 1:56 2/5). The Friday (September 11) card at Eldorado Scioto Downs kicked off Ohio Super Weekend, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Ohio Sires Stakes program.

Dancin Miki was the first to break her maiden, winning the 2-year-old filly pace for trainer Ron Burke in 1:53 2/5. Half the field left to get to the top, but it was Demons Angel (Aaron Merriman) who made the early lead towards the 27 3/5 opening quarter while driver Chris Page got Dancin Miki settled second along the rail. Rose Run Charlie (Marvin Luna) took over to lead the field through the 57 3/5 half and got pressure from Dancin Miki as she pulled mid-way down the backside. By the 1:25 2/5 three-uarters, the fillies were neck-and-neck, but Dancin Miki kept pouring it on, winning by a length and a half over Miki Grad (Brett Miller), who got up for second; Demons Angel was third. Dancin Miki went off at 8-1 and paid $19.80 to win.

"She was huge. I mean going against the one (Miki Grad), I thought it was gonna be tough," said co-owner Carl Howard.

Friday's win was after a less-than-ideal August which saw Dancin Miki scratched and then finishing last in a world record mile (1:50) by Tempting Flames. "If you saw her early lines, she was really sharp to start the year off, so we knew she had talent. We still got Delaware, so that will be fun," Howard continued.

By Monte Miki and out of the Sweet Lou mare Sweet Britches, Dancin Miki was a $75,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Spring Fun Farm. With just four races now under her belt, Dancin Miki has $66,500 in earnings for owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and R A S Racing.

Sam Widger patiently sat with another Burke trainee maiden winner, Kikionamission, through the first-half before taking the 2-year-old filly trot event in 1:56 2/5.

Shinie T (Merriman) set the early fractions of 27 3/5 and 55 4/5 before giving way to Steady Mind (Ken Holliday). Widger had Kikionamission on the move heading towards the 1:25 1/5 three-quarters and was three-wide around the last turn. Kikionamission won by a quarter-length over Steady Mind; Victory Howl (Irvine) came up the passing lane to be third. Going off at 11-1, Kikionamission paid $25.20 to win.

A homebred for Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Beasty, Kikionamission now has $59,730 earned in eight starts.

Jidoo Bythesea convincingly broke his maiden, winning the 2-year-old colt and gelding pace in 1:54 1/5 for trainer Robert Cleary with Justin Irvine driving.

Sea Monster (Luke Hanners) went straight to the front from post nine and hit the quarter in 27 2/5. Jidoo Bythesea didn't see a pylon until mid-way down the stretch the first time and easily set the remaining fractions of 57 1/5 and 1:26. Irvine never moved coming down the stretch as Jidoo Bythesea cruised home to win by two lengths over State Room (Mike Micallef); Sea Monster was third. Jidoo Bythesea went off at 2-5 and paid $2.80 to win.

"Both times I drove him, I took care of him. Robert texted me tonight and told me just keep him quiet and give him a good trip," said Irvine after the race. Leaving from post six, the choice was get away fifth or keep going to the front. "I thought the best trip would be on the front. This colt's a good turn of foot, and the last couple times I drove him, he's always sprinted home good, so I knew they'd have to have a pretty good kick to get to him."

By Downbytheseaside and out of the Western Ideal mare Santa Rosa, Jidoo Bythesea was a $70,000 Standardbred Horse Sale purchase from breeder Hanover Shoe Farms. Owned by Ken Jacobs, Jidoo Bythesea now has $64,460 earned in five lifetime starts.

3-year-old Colt & Gelding Pace

Fire Run (Luna) got the perfect pocket trip to take the 3-year-old male pace in 1:51 for trainer Erv Miller. Odds On RPJ (Hanners) comfortably set fractions of 27, 55 3/5 and 1:23 and Fire Run came up the passing lane to win by a length. Odds On RPJ was second with Caillou Hanover (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) being placed third. Set off as the 2-1 second choice, Fire Run paid $2.20 to win.

"I thought Luke was going to be good, and I was happy following him," said Luna after the race. "At the half I was happy, everything worked out great. It's a great feeling, especially for my buddy Atlee Bender and Erv Miller; they're great people."

Fire Run, a gelded son by Catch The Fire out of the McArdle mare Rose Run Vanity, was a $28,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder CT Stables. Owned by Ervin Miller Stable, Mark Winship and Bryn Campbell, Friday's victory was his sixth in 27 lifetime starts and pushed Fire Run's earnings to $180,827.

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2-year-old Colt & Gelding Trot

A track delay did not deter the odds-on favorite Obsessed With Me as Brett Miller drove him to victory in the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot in 1:54 4/5 for trainer Matthew Burkholder.

Lou Armstrong (Anthony MacDonald) left from post eight to lead through fractions of 28 1/5, 57 3/5 and 1:25 4/5. Obsessed With Me got away third, pulled as the field headed to the three-quarter pole and won by a half-length. Lou Armstrong fought valiantly through the wire to be second, with Commanders Moni (Merriman) getting up for third. Obsessed With Me was sent off as the 3-5 favorite and paid $3.40 to win.

"I was very happy he was able to sit that long," said Burkholder. "It seems like if my horse can stay relaxed early in the mile, then he'll finish a lot better."

Obsessed With Me is by Ready For Moni out of the Tom Ridge mare Celebrity Obsession and was an $85,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeders Timber Ridge Stable and Midland Acres. Owned by Dark Horse Farm, Obsessed With Me now has four wins in seven starts and $101,250 in earnings.

3-year-old Filly Trot

Joyofmylife AS confidently took the 3-year-old filly trot in 1:54 1/5 for the husband-wife, driver-trainer team of Tony Hall and Anette Lorentzon.

Leaving alertly from post six, Hall got Joyofmylife AS to the 26 1/5 opening quarter and was able to slow the fractions down to a 55 2/5 half and 1:24 1/5 three-quarters. Joyofmylife AS won by a length over Readi Two (Hugh Beatty), who was third placed second, and Guardian Doll (Ronnie Gillespie), who was second placed third. Going off as the 3-5 favorite, Joyofmylife AS paid $3.40 to win.

"I wasn’t hoping for 26 for the first quarter, but that's what you get sometimes," said Lorentzon. "We've been very happy now lately with her, and she raced very good last start at Red Mile (winning in 1:50.4). I was hoping she would (be able to hold them off)."

By Guardian Angel AS and out of the Muscle Hill mare Josie's Joy, Joyofmylife AS is a homebred for owners ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson and now has seven wins in 18 lifetime starts with $214,725 in earnings.

3-year-old Filly Pace

Odds On Trickster (Hanners) took the 3-year-old filly pace in 1:51 1/5 for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. Leaving from post five, Odds On Trickster was parked through the 27 second opening quarter but comfortably led through the 55 3/5 half and 1:23 2/5 three-quarters. Odds On Trickster cruised home in 27 4/5 to win by 4 1/2 lengths over Beach Babe Hanover (Irvine), who got up for second, with Odds On Dividend (Page) third. Going off as the 8-5 second choice, Odds On Trickster paid $5.20 to win.

"I liked this filly a lot; as a 2-year-old I told Dana (owner Parham) that she could be special," said Morgan Jr. "As a 3-year-old this year, she got a late start...I think she's put it behind her now and she's a nice filly."

Odds On Trickster, by Lather Up and out of the Western Terror mare Preppy Party Girl, was a $50,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Steve Stewart. Owned by Odds On Racing, Odds On Trickster now has four wins in 12 starts and $84,840 in earnings.

3-year-old Colt & Gelding Trot

Deer In Range powered home off a four-wide move off the last turn to win the 3-year-old male trot by a half-length in 1:55 1/5 with Kurt Sugg at the lines.

Sam Widger had Where Theres Smoke hot off the car, easily making the lead from post seven and taking the field to the 27 1/5 quarter and 56 2/5 half. Sugg got Deer In Range away fifth and pulled heading towards the 1:25 three-quarters. Coming around the last turn, the duo was three-wide and ended up four-wide before coming off the turn to win by over Bitcoin King (Merriman); Time Has Come (B. Miller) was third. Going off at 8-1, Deer In Range paid $15.20 to win.

Deer In Range, by In Range and out of the Uncle Peter mare Deer Run Lily, was bred by Aaron Yoder and is owned by trainer Allen Miller. Unraced at two, Deer In Range now has seven wins in 13 starts with $117,750 in earnings.

Ohio Super Night Saturday

Ohio's Super Weekend continues Saturday (September 12) with eight divisions of the $300,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Scarlet Championships. The 16-race card also includes the $250,000 Grade 2 Charlie Hill Memorial Trot and the $260,000 Grade 2 Jim Ewart Memorial Pace. The race card will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2 with Gabe Prewitt and Jessica Otten hosting. For those that attend on track, there will be many family activities available, as well as a multitude of wagering opportunities, including guarantees and second chance drawings.

--press release (Scioto)--