Trainer Virgil Morgan has been the leading conditioner at Eldorado Scioto Downs for nearly three decades, so it's not surprising that a pair of his sophomore pacing fillies would sweep the $142,000 (div.) First Lady Pace in Ohio State Fair action Friday (August 1) evening at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
The first division saw Odds On Hialeah go gate-to-wire as the heavy favorite to score a 4 1/4 length victory over Prolific Fire (Austin Hanners) and Seaside Wishes (Kayne Kauffman) in 1:51.
Odds On Hialeah is owned by Let It Ride Stables, Odds On Racing and Operation Horsepower. The Lather Up filly has won 10 of her 12 career starts and has earned $441,500 lifetime.
The second division was much tighter. Odds On Chesapeake wanted to match her stablemate's front-stepping effort, but endured a stiff challenge from the pocket-sitting Bubblles Out (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), who went into the passing lane but made a couple of bobbles in stride and came up three-quarters of a length short in 1:51.
Odds On Chesapeake, a Downbytheseaside lass, has won six of seven starts this season for Odds On Racing and Operation Horsepower. Both of the 'Odds On' fillies were bred by Odds On Nourrir and piloted by Dan Noble.
In the first division of the State Fair Managers Pace for 2-year-old fillies, it was a battle between stablemates Shacarri and Seaside Shuffle.
Seaside Shuffle and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. grabbed the early lead from post position six and led the field past the opening quarter in 27 1/5. Chris Page edged Shacarri out of the four-hole, and she cleared her stablemate before the half-mile station in 56 seconds. Thanks to a 30 2/5 third quarter breather, the Ron Burke trainees remained 1-2 and were set up for the final quarter sprint.
Pacing in tandem, Shacarri used a 27 3/5 final panel and held off Seaside Shuffle by a quarter-length in 1:54. Vanna By The Water (Austin Hanners) was six lengths back in third.
The victorious homebred Summa Cum Laude lass is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Phil Collura and Zippett Stables.
► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter
The second $81,350 State Fair Managers Pace division concluded with a wild ending, as Madetorockette (Brett Miller) used a five-wide move around the final turn and came from last to first to win in a lifetime-best 1:54 3/5. Zoom Call (Dan Noble) and Laude Da (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rounded out the trifecta.
The winning homebred Pet Rock filly is owned by Sharon Edelman and conditioned by Jim Arledge Jr. The winner paid $66.60 to win.
Mocha Hill and driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. rallied late to score a 16-1 upset in the second and final division of the $142,000 (div.) Pride of Ohio Trot for sophomore fillies in 1:54 3/5. The winner survived a three-horse photo finish with the pace-setting Aunt Laura (Brett Miller) and Dream Something (Tyler Smith).
Ron Burke trains The What The Hill filly for Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Weaver Bruscemi and Knox Services. Mocha Hill, who was bred by Franklin Equine, was the state's divisional champion last season, but picked up her first 2025 win tonight.
The opening $72,000 division went to Jailhouse Pearl (Austin Hanners), who used the passing lane to cruise past the leader, In The End (Dan Noble), by three parts of a length in 1:54 2/5. A fast-closing Pelican Hanover (Kurt Sugg) was third.
The winner is trained by Eric Nesselroad for owner/breeder Casey Clemens. A model of consistency, the Long Tom filly has finished on-the-board in all but one of her 24 career starts.
The 2025 Ohio State Fair action wraps up tomorrow night at Eldorado Scioto Downs with the Buckeye State Pace (2-year-old colts and geldings), Director of Agriculture Pace (3-year-old colts and geldings) and Governor's Cup Trot (3-year-old colts and geldings).
--press release (Scioto)--