Grand Circuit Races Deliver Exciting Finishes at Scioto Downs

From Eldorado Scioto Downs

Just before the four $100,000 Grade 3 events at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Saturday (July 18), storms rolled through the area, but after nearly an hour-long postponement, the races did not disappoint with some exciting finishes.

It was a mad dash to the wire in the Nadia Lobell for 3-year-old pacing fillies with Topville Lucky and Andrew McCarthy getting up to win in 1:50.2.

I’m A Lou Lou and Tim Tetrick went to the lead midway through the first turn and set the fractions of :27, :55.4, and 1:23. Topville Lucky got the second-over tow behind Sangria Summer (Brett Miller) and by the third-quarter was sitting fourth. At the top of the stretch, McCarthy fanned Topville Lucky wide to get up for her first victory of the season by a quarter length. Sangria Summer was second with Shacarri (Chris Page) coming up the passing lane to be third.

“I’ve watched this mare race a lot. She’s got a lot of high speed if the trip works out,” said McCarthy after the race. “I was just lucky enough to get a decent trip in there, and she did her job in the stretch.”

Topville Lucky went off at 6-1 and paid $14.

By Sweet Lou out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Warrawee Winx, Topville Lucky was a $27,000 Harrisburg purchase from Jeremy Yoder. Owned by Punisher 11 Stable, Topville Lucky now has seven wins in 10 lifetime starts and $422,000 in earnings.

Victorianas Secret was indeed victorious in the Moni Maker for 3-year-old trotting fillies as Ronnie Wrenn Jr. took her straight to the top to win by open lengths in 1:52.4.

Setting fractions of :28.2, :56.3, and 1:24.4, Wrenn sat comfortably to guide Victorianas Secret under a hand drive to win by three and a half lengths. Ginger Tree Lex (McCarthy) came second over to get up for second, while Faster Horses (Yannick Gingras) was third. Victorianas Secret went off as the 1-2 favorite and paid $3 to win.

Victorianas Secret, by Tactical Landing out of the Donato Hanover mare Victoriana, was a $32,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Kevin Greenfield and Michael Creps. She now has six wins in 14 lifetime starts and $245,531 in earnings. The 1:52.4 win Saturday is a new lifetime mark.

David Miller picked up the drive for Miki And Minnie, and the pair powered by down the stretch to win the Cleopatra Invitational for aged pacing mares in 1:48.3.

No Fooling April (Brett Miller) sprinted off the car from post seven to make the early lead, but Austin Hanners was not content to sit in the pocket with Always B Naughty, and there was a battle to the :26 opening quarter. Always B Naughty set fractions of :54 and 1:21 while Miki And Minnie sat fifth and came second over behind Three Times Bettor (Chris Page). Powering by the pace setters, Miki And Minnie won by two and a quarter lengths over Louies Girl N (Yannick Gingras), who came from eighth. Three Times Bettor was third.

Miki And Minnie went off as the 1-5 favorite and paid $2.60 to win. The 4-year-old mare by Always B Miki out of the Roll With Joe mare That’s The Ticket is owned by breeders Craig Henderson, Robert Mondillo, and Lawrence Minowitz. Saturday’s win was her 24th in 33 lifetime starts and pushes her lifetime earnings to $2,253,324.

Lou Hill (Gingras) were the best in the last of the $100,000 Grade 3 events, the #SendItIn Invitational, winning by a length in 1:48.2.

Parked to the :26.3 opening quarter, Lou Hill made the front and proceeded to lead to the :54.3. Prince Hal Hanover (David Miller) was flushed out from fourth and poured on the pressure to the 1:21.2 third-quarter and through the last turn. Behind Lou Hill, it was a blanket finish for second through sixth, with Prince Hal Hanover finishing second and Best Chip (Tim Tetrick), who got the second-over trip, getting up for third.

Lou Hill went off as the 3-2 favorite and paid $5 to win.

By Sweet Lou out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Pretty Catherine, Lou Hill is a 5-year-old gelding trained by Per Engblom for owner/breeder Tom Hill. Fresh off a win in the G2 William Haughton Memorial, Lou Hill now has 22 wins in 53 lifetime starts and $649,241 in earnings.

Racing continues at Scioto on Tuesday (July 21) with a 13-race card.