Ohio State Fair races concludes at Scioto Downs

Colts finished off Ohio State Fair harness racing action Saturday (August 6) at Eldorado Scioto Downs. There were two divisions each of the 2-year-old colt pacers, 3-year-old colt pacers and 3-year-old colt trotters. Paris’s Dragon (Fear The Dragon) broke his maiden in the $86,000 second division for 2-year-olds, winning in 1:51.1 for driver and trainer Dan and Christi Noble.

Paris’s Dragon was caught wide going into the first turn but settled in third while Who Dey Nation (Aaron Merriman) went to the front and set early fractions of :26.4 and :54.4. Brett Miller and Fear The Image popped the pocket just before the 1:23.1 third quarter with Noble following pursuit.

The duo battled to the wire with Paris’s Dragon coming out on top to win by a neck. Fear The Image was second with race favorite Midwind Beach Boy (Chris Page) getting up for third.

Paris’s Dragon is a homebred for Dennis Owens and is co-owned by Norman Rae Racing LLC. This was his first win in four starts and his earnings have ballooned to $63,000. The gelding went off at 15/1 and paid $32.60 to win.

PARIS’S DRAGON REPLAY

The other $86,000 division was won by Clever Cody (The Panderosa) and Merriman in 1:51. The Dr. Ian Moore trainee was parked through the opening quarter of :26.4 and made the front. Clever Cody comfortably set fractions of :56 and 1:23.1 to win by three lengths over Janelle Granny (Nick Clegg) and High On The Hill (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.).

Clever Cody now has three wins in five starts and $99,800 in earnings. The 1/5 race favorite, owned by Clever Cody Stable, paid $2.40 to win.

CLEVER CODY REPLAY

Todd Luther’s Burnout (Racing Hill) took the first $74,500 division for 3-year-old colt pacers in 1:49.2. Sam Widger took the colt to the front to set fractions of :27 and :55.2. Challenged by Act Fast (Chris Page) at the 1:22 three-quarters, he turned away the competition down the stretch to win by two and a quarter lengths. Rockmelikeyameanit (Noble) got up for second with race favorite Act Fast finishing third.

Burnout is owned by Greg Luther Racing LLC and now has $105,100 earned on the year. The mile was a new lifetime best for the gelding who paid $8.80 to win.

BURNOUT REPLAY

The second $75,200 division was won by Dunkin’ (Pet Rock) in 1:50.4. Merriman sent the gelding to the front from post five and was three-wide for most of the first turn to hit the beam in :26.1. The Real Way (Page) set the rest of the fractions of :55.1 and 1:22.2. Dunkin’ came out of the pocket to win by a half-length over Dynamite Dylan (Miller); The Real Way was third.

Dunkin’ is owned and trained by Betty Clegg. He now has $134,840 earned in 29 seasonal starts, with eight consecutive victories. Dunkin’ was sent off at 2/1 and paid $6.60 to win.

DUNKIN’ REPLAY

What The Hill geldings took both divisions for 3-year-old colt trotters. Jet Hill won the first $73,500 division in 1:54.1. Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. sent him towards the lead from post seven and was parked through the opening turn but settled in the pocket by the :28.1 quarter.

Rumble Strips (Kayne Kauffman) hit the half in :57.4 and mid-way down the backstretch Jet Hill pulled to challenge. They hit the three-quarters together in 1:26 but Jet Hill confidently took the race by one and a quarter lengths. Black Magic (Merriman) was second and Jogging Full Trot, parked the entire mile for Noble, was third.

Jet Hill, is owned by Serenity Racing Stables and trained by Ed Miller. The gelding has $153,150 in seasonal earnings. The race favorite went off at 2/5 and paid $2.80 to win.

JET HILL REPLAY

The other $73,500 division of trotters was won by John Dutton in 1:55. Page settled John Dutton in third but pulled mid-way through the first turn to take over just after the :29 opening quarter. The pair set the rest of the fractions of :58.2 and 1:26.3. Bidenurtime (Hugh Beatty, Jr.) came first up and finished second; Domovoy (Merriman) got up for third.

John Dutton is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc, Johnny Yoder and RAS Racing LLC. In 12 seasonal starts, he has seven wins and $131,541 in earnings. Sent off as the 1/9 favorite, John Dutton paid $2.20 to win.

JOHN DUTTON REPLAY

Total purses for the three days of Ohio State Fair racing was $1.28-million. Horse racing was held at the Ohio State Fairgrounds from the late 1860s through 1984. In 1985, the State Fair Races moved to Scioto. The Ohio State Fair, at the Ohio Expo Center, concludes Sunday (August 6).

Racing is held at Scioto Downs each Tuesday and Wednesday with a 3:15 p.m. first post and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with a 5:50 p.m. first post through Saturday, September 16. Follow @SciotoRacing on Twitter for all the details of the 2023 racing season at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

More information about the entire Scioto Downs racing season, including race schedule, wagering menu, VIP room reservations and more can be found by clicking here.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results