Scioto: Wild finish in Ewart Memorial goes McWicked's way

McWicked captured the $440,000 Jim Ewart Memorial for open pacers on Saturday night at Scioto Downs in an incredible blanket finish for driver Brian Sears. The defending Horse of the Year scored in 1:49, gamely holding challengers at bay, with six horses across-the-track and virtually on the wire simultaneously.

Despite the scratch of morning line choice Lather Up, the nine-horse Ewart was action from start to finish. At the start Jimmy Freight, Western Fame, This Is The Plan, and Filibuster Hanover all left sharply, ensuring a hot tempo. Filibuster Hanover had the front in a 25 3/5 first quarter, but stablemate This Is The Plan regained passing the stands. He had company almost immediately when Dan Noble pulled immediately with Western Fame and went on the offensive.

Both This Is The Plan and Western Fame were locked in combat through the 52 4/5 half and 1:20 three-quarters clocking. Jimmy Freight had worked out a second-over trip, with McWicked the race favorite, third-over.

Off the final turn Western Fame gamely wore down the speed but wasn't pulling away. In the final eighth horses were stacked five- and six-wide, with McWicked kicking home gamely between horses to get his nose in front of Western Fame on the inside and Donttellmeagain on his outer flank. Those two finished in a dead-heat for second. Closely following the top three were a streaking Courtly Choice in fourth, with Jimmy Freight in fifth.

Casie Coleman trains McWicked, who won for the fourth time this year for owner S S G Stables. McWicked paid $6.20 to win.

"I was still asking him on the final turn," Sears said, recognizing the struggle the 8-year-old had keeping with cover through the wicked three-quarters clocking.