Six divisions of the Buckeye Stallion Series for three-year-old colt pacers hit the track on Friday (June 10) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
Pearl Snaps, driven by Brett Miller, set a new lifetime mark of 1:50.4 in the first and fastest division of the night.
Despite leaving from post eight, Pearl Snaps gained control of the field by the half in :55.2. The smoking fractions didn’t stop there as they reached the three-quarters pole in 1:22.4. Pearl Snaps cleared the finish line by a length. Shell Yeah crossed the wire in second while the longest shot on the board, Ea Buttermilk Bill completed the trifecta.
Pearl Snaps ended his freshman year prematurely with three starts and zero wins on the Ohio Sire Stakes level. Now trained by Virgil Morgan Jr., the gelding may have proven himself ready for top-tier racing once again. The son of Fear The Dragon has won three of five and bankrolled $20,750 so far this season.
Bred by Twinbrook Limited of Ontario, Pearl Snaps is co-owned by Carl Howard, Bottom Line Racing, and Morgan Jr. He paid $8.60 to win.
The second division of the Buckeye Stallion Series went to Moved Bythe Spirit and Tyler Smith in 1:51.1. The gelded son of Western Vintage was bred, trained and is co-owned by Tim Lane alongside Storm Haven LLC. Tre Cruz was second and Dragthechipsmyway was third.
Miller and Morgan Jr. teamed back up to take the third division with Odds On Capitalism in 1:53. The gelding by Fear The Dragon is owned by Odds On Racing. Dragononthebeach finished second while Rock The Dragon crossed the wire in third.
Mink Street and Austin Hanners stole the fourth division in 1:54.3. Mike Sweeny trains and co-owns the Well Said gelding with the Wall Bros Stable, Rocky Miller and John Miller. Going off at 19-1 odds, Mink Street paid $40.40 to win. Odds On Hong Kong was second and Universal was third.
The fifth division went to Robins Art and Smith in 1:53.3. Kent Saunders bred, owns and trains the gelded son of Art Official. Rose Run Xiled finished second and Buddythebookie was third.
The Fear Is Real and Kayne Kauffman won the final division of the Buckeye Stallion Series by a neck. As yet another gelded son of Fear The Dragon, The Fear Is Real tripped the wire in 1:55. Brian Clemmons trains and co-owns with James Davis and Charles Purvis. Springbridge Dragn came in second while Bettor By Seaside was third.
The $30,000 Steve McCoy Final went to Parklane Unique and Smith in 1:52.3. The three-year-old pacing filly swept the first two legs of the mini series last month. In just six seasonal starts, the daughter of Yankee Cruiser has won three and hit the board a total of five times for trainer Jeff Smith. Shirley LeVin owns.
(Scioto Downs)