Scioto: Page, Burke hit Ohio Sires Stakes grand slam

Five divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for 2-year-old pacers were held at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Saturday (July 13). Three events for colts and gelding pacers went for $50,000 while two sections for the fillies went for $65,000 each. Trainer Ron Burke teamed up with driver Chris Page to win four of the five events.

Two of the winners won The Next Generation last weekend and improved to a perfect two-for-two in their careers.

The Word Is Out won her split in 1:55 3/5. Queen Of Fear (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) took the early lead towards the 28 4/5 opening quarter but, not content to sit in the pocket, Page pulled The Word Is Out, and they tripped the half-mile beam in 58 4/5 and three-quarters in 1:28 3/5 before pulling off the victory by three-quarters of a length. Queen Of Fear was a close second with Prolific Fire (Brett Miller) getting up for third. The Word Is Out was a $24,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase and in her two lifetime starts has $107,500 in earnings. The Well Said filly is owned by Burke Racing, Knox Services, Beasty and R A S Racing.

Swingtown, the other Next Generation winner, took his Sires Stakes event in 1:52 1/5. Copper Penny (Wrenn Jr.) took the field to the 27 3/5 quarter and 57 2/5 half. Page pulled Swingtown going down the backside but by the 1:24 4/5 three-quarters was still four lengths off. However, the Downbytheseaside colt powered home in 26 3/5 to win under a hand drive by three-quarters of a length over Copper Penny, while Whatcagonnado (Aaron Merriman) came three-wide around the last turn to get up for third. Swingtown is owned by Burke Racing, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services and R A S Racing.

Burke and Page teamed up to sweep the colt and gelding tests by winning with Sippinonsearoc in 1:52 3/5 and Rick Wink in 1:52 1/5.

In Sippinonsearoc's flight, Spiritshappyending (Tyler Smith) took the early lead from post four, but yielded to Fabio Hanover (Wrenn Jr.) by the 28 second opening quarter. Page then pulled Sippinonsearoc before going under the line for the first time and comfortably made the front before the 56 second half. They hit the three-quarters in 1:24 2/5 and won by two and 3/4 lengths. Spiritshappyending came back to finish second but was placed back to fourth for going into the passing lane too early, meaning Fabio Hanover was third-placed-second, with Bars And Notes (Austin Hanners) fourth-placed-third. Sippinonsearoc, by Downbytheseaside, was a $77,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase and is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, R A S Racing and Knox Services.

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Pants On Fire (Wrenn Jr.) left sharply from post eight in the second grouping for the boys to catch the early top spot. Page had Rick Wink out and moving from the four-hole just as the field hit the 27 2/5 opening quarter. The duo took the lead going under the wire for the first time and hit the half in 56 seconds and three-quarters in 1:24 3/5. Pants On Fire came out of the two-hole and was charging hard but came up a nose short; Cruisinoverfire (Smith) finished third. Rick Wink, by Bit Of A Legend N, was a $27,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase and is owned by Burke Racing, R A S Racing, Knox Services and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.

The lone non-Burke trainee to win a Sires Stakes event Saturday was Odds On Hialeah, who took the first tilt for fillies in 1:52 2/5.

Goodnight Dance (Wrenn Jr.) left off the gate from post four to take the early lead. Sea Her Rule (Merriman) went wide around the first turn and just made the top at the 27 second quarter. At the 56 second half Downthejerseyshore (Luke Hanners) came first-up with Odds On Hialeah Got coming second-over. By the 1:24 3/5 three-quarters, Downthejerseyshore had a nose in front, but around the last turn, Odds On Hialeah went three-wide and took off to win by an impressive 10 length margin. Witching Blue Chip (Trevor Smith) got up for second, with Rose Run Ashlee (Page) finishing third. Odds On Hialeah is owned by Odds On Racing and trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. The Lather Up filly prepped with two qualifiers and a win in the non-winners of one on July 5, winning in 1:54 4/5.

--press release (Scioto)--