Scioto: Spaaaanzano puts his streak on the line in Ohio Championships

There is no shortage of stories waiting to be told on Saturday's Ohio Super Night card at Scioto. With 18 races on the docket and 16 of them for 2- and 3-year-olds in Sire Stakes competition, champions will be crowned throughout the night.

While there are many competitive events, the $300,000 trotting championship for 2-year-old colts certainly stands out as an event no one will want to miss. One of eight $300,000 contests and carded as the 10th race, it will pit the undefeated Spaaaanzano versus the quirky, yet talented Tennessee Tom and the nearly unbeaten Royal Precedent.

Spaaaanzano burst on the scene when he won the Next Generation in his career debut and has never tasted defeat in five starts. Of course he is coming off a scratched-sick line which may concern some people but not trainer Chris Beaver.

"He got a low-grade fever the day before the last leg [of the Sire Stakes], and he is too good to risk racing him," said Beaver. "He trained in [1:]59 last week and he seems to be in good form."

Spaaaanzano owns a solid 1:55 4/5 career mark, but that only ranks second in the field behind Tennessee Tom. The Ron Burke trainee is coming off a spectacular 1:55 1/5 performance on August 26 over the Scioto surface. That was the fourth win in seven career starts for the son of Long Tom, but he also shows breaks in two of his last five trips to the track.

"He was getting a little hot so Ronnie [Burke] put an open bridle and some cheek pieces on him," said driver Chris Page. "Now he's letting me drive him, and I'm 99% sure everything is ironed out. This horse has gobs of talent."

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The horse that Tennessee Tom defeated last time was Royal Precedent, who lost his five-race winning streak in the process. On Saturday he loses someone else as regular pilot Aaron Merriman will stick with Spaaaanzano and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. will get the drive. Still, the Sam Schillaci charge has never finished worse than second in seven trips to the track.

The Ohio Championship for the rookie colt trotters is far from the only event with potential star performers signed on. The $300,000 championship for 2-year-old filly trotters has Sugar Instead. The daughter of Volstead has won five of seven starts and never been worse than second.

Rose Run Yolanda is the clear standout in the $300,000 filly trot for sophomores. The Todd Luther trainee has won six of 10 starts and owns the fastest winning mile in the field (1:53) by a full second.

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There is another good showdown among 3-year-old colts in the $300,000 trotting championship. John Dutton has been in charge most of the year with nine wins in 14 starts, but Jet Hill owns the best career mark (1:51 4/5) and a solid seven wins in 10 tries behind the gate.

Act Fast will look to run his winning streak to three in the final $300,000 championship, this one for 3-year-old colt pacers. The Ron Burke trainee is off a career-best 1:49 1/5 win and he looks like the one to beat despite post seven and his 4-1 morning line.

Post time for the 18-race marathon card at Scioto, which features three $10,000 Guaranteed Pick 4's and an all-championship Sire Stakes $10,000 promised Pick 8, is 5:00 P.M. (EDT).