From Eldorado Scioto Downs
Midnight Haze and Chris Lems took the fastest split of the four $20,000 divisions of the fourth leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for 2-year-old filly pacers in 1:52.3 at Eldorado Scioto Downs on Thursday (Sept. 3).
Leaving from post seven, Midnight Haze got away third as Our Grey Heart (Tyler Smith) hit the opening quarter in :28.1. Making the lead before the :56.2 half, Midnight Haze led through the 1:24.3 third quarter and won by three lengths over Our Grey Heart. Tina Fire (Austin Hanners) was third.
Midnight Haze, by Dancin Yankee out of the Always A Virgin mare Mary Goodnight is a homebred for Dr. Michael Latessa, Ashley Miller, and trainer Edward Miller. It was the third win in five lifetime starts for the filly who now has $28,400 earned.
Other splits were won by Gillette (1:52.4), Sempre B Bella (1:53), and Sea Jazz (1:53.3).
In the fourth division, Gillette (Justin Irvine) led through splits of :27.4, :56.4, and 1:24.2 and won by three-quarters of a length over DS Ava (Lems). Apple By The Sea (Luke Hanners) was third. Owned by trainer Garry Martin, B Kleinberg Racing, Lee Unkefer, and Martin Holden, Gillette now has two wins in seven lifetime starts and $26,100 in earnings. The Lather Up filly out of the Dragon Again mare Baby’s In Black bred by Sugar Valley Farm and Johnny Smith was a $38,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase.
Sempre B Bella (Smith) won the first division after getting away sixth from post four as Ides Of April (L. Hanners) led through fractions of :27.2 and :56.3. Pulling second over, Sempre B Bella followed MBT The Tanks (Sam Widger), who challenged the leader through the 1:25.1 third quarter. Sempre B Bella came three wide around the last turn to make the lead by the top of the stretch and won by a half length over a fast-closing Stormin Suds (Kayne Kauffman). MBT The Tanks was third. Owned by trainer Steve Carter and Haley Carter, Sempre B Bella now has $16,951 earned in four lifetime starts with two wins. By Monte Miki out of the Art Major mare Bella Marta, Sempre B Bella was a $16,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Vincent Costa Jr.
Sea Jazz was victorious in gate-to-wire fashion with Ronnie Gillespie in the bike for trainer Ryan Miller. Leading through fractions of :27.3, :58.1, and 1:25.1, Sea Jazz won by a length over pocket-sitter Can’tcatchthelady (Widger). Poseformiki (Irvine) was third. Sea Jazz, by Downbytheseaside out of the Betting Line mare Jazzed, was a $70,000 Ohio Selected Yearling Sale purchase from breeder Marvin Troyer. Thursday’s win was the filly’s fourth in a row from seven starts. She now has $35,420 earned for owners Miller Racing Stable, Chris Gilbert, Redracer, and Roger Miller Jeff Bankey.
The Buckeye Stallion Series continues Sept. 20-24 with the fifth leg for all eight divisions at the Delaware County Fair in Delaware, Ohio.