Scioto: Racing Rebel, Shadows Dancers capture Grand Circuit events for older pacers

Older pacers journeyed to Eldorado Scioto Downs on Saturday night for the $100,000 #SendItIn Invitational for the boys and the $100,000 Cleopatra Invitational for the mares.

The 4-year-old Racing Rebel won over the full field of 10 in 1:49 1/5 in the #SendItIn.

Paris's Dragon (Dan Noble) took the early lead off the gate, but Chris Page had Racing Rebel out and moving just before the 27 second opening quarter. After taking the field to the 55 2/5 half with race favorite Little Rocket Man (Jeremy Smith) applying pressure, the field sprinted to the 1:22 1/5 three-quarters Paris's Dragon tipped to the outside from the pocket midway down the stretch but could only get within a three quarters of a length of Racing Rebel at the wire, while Women Layer (Tim Tetrick) got up for third. Racing Rebel went off at 12-1 and paid $27.00 to win.

"I couldn't have drew it up any better honestly. A lot of action underneath, but this horse was very quick off the wings tonight," remarked Page. "(Against) Little Rocket Man and Women Layer, for us to be in the winner's circle tonight, that's a big notch in this horse's belt."

Racing Rebel, bred by Marjorie Polhamus, is a 4-year-old stallion by Racing Hill out of the Feelin Friskie mare Awakening. Trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Page and Polhamus, Racing Rebel now has $394,742 earned in 46 lifetime starts and 15 wins.

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Noble took Shadows Dancers on a speed mission to win the Cleopatra Invitational in 1:48 1/5.

No Foolin April (Brett Miller) left sharply off the gate with Shadows Dancers taking the lead as the field hit the 26 second opening quarter. After rolling to the 53 1/5 half, Shadows Dancer put some separation on the field going to the 1:20 1/5 three-quarters on her way to victory. No Foolin April was a length and a half back in second, with Talk Curdy To Me (Aaron Merriman) finishing third.

"It seems like once you put her in gear, you just keep her trucking and she just keeps going," Noble said. "The mare was coming into the race really good and had plenty left."

Shadows Dancers, a 6-year-old mare by Always B Miki out of the Shadow Play mare Dancing Shadows K, was bred by Robert Key. Owned by Howard Taylor and Chris McGuire, Shadows Dancers has 23 wins in 91 starts and $340,699 in earnings. The victory was just one fifth of a second off her lifetime mark and Scioto's track record for older pacing mares.

--press release (Scioto)--