Kid Cruiser upsets in OSS action at Scioto

Kid Cruiser scooted up the inside to overtake Doc’s Yankee and score a 33-1 upset in a division of the Ohio Sire Stakes for sophomore pacers at Scioto on Saturday. He defeated Doc’s Yankee (2-1 in the betting) and the 2-5 favorite, Trick Man.

 

Driver Dan Noble shot Doc’s Yankee to the lead in an opening panel in :27 and then Ray Paver moved the long-striding Trick Man to challenge. They dueled through a third quarter in :27.2 and Mike Wilkder first positioned Kid Cruiser behind Trick Man, then ducked back to the inside.

 

In the stretch, Doc’s Yankee continued in front with Trick Man continuing to press the leader, but Wilder found an opening on the inside and guided Kid Cruiser through it to win in 1:52, lowering the gelding’s mark by more than four seconds.

 

Doc’s Yankee was a neck back in second while Trick Man finished 1 3/4 lengths back, in third.

 

Kid Cruiser is owned by Laura and Paul Baker and Virgil Parks of Ohio and trained byJim Arledge Jr. It was his sixth win in 16 starts this season.

 

In the other Ohio Sire Stakes for soph pacing males. Abe’s Attack nosed out the 1-2 favorite, Manip U Lator BB, in 1:52. He led all the way to post his third win in seven starts this season.

 

In sophomore trotting action, Sing Jesse Sing won another narrow decision over My D Sammy for driver Wilder. Driver Jimmy Smith sent My D Sammy to the front early and Wilder put the heavy favorite Sing Jesse Sing right on his back. In the stretch, Sing Jesse Sing managed to prevail by a neck, in 1:58. It was his sixth win in nine starts this season.

 

Another split for 3-year-old trotting males was taken by Rees’s Racer, who moved to the front after the first quarter to win easily by 3 1/2 lengths, in 1:56.1. The even money favorite defeated Ohio Frontier and Hezahumer.

 

The third division for sophomore trotters went to Jailhouse Scorpion and driver Greg Grismore for trainer Jeff Cox. He led early, then yielded to Bookem, and then came back in the stretch to nail Bookem at the wire and win by a neck. The mile was in 1:56.4, and it was the gelding’s second win in 11 tries this season.

 

In the freshman pacing division, Magical New Day was an impressive winner in 1:55.1 for Grismore. He shot to the lead at the start with the second choice, Integrity, behind him, then backed down the tempo with a :30.3 second quarter. That was the breather that Magical New Day needed to sprint away to a 1:55.1 win, by open lengths.

 

Equally impressive was Dancin Yankee who sat behind the pacesetting T Russell Lou and overtook him in the final quarter to win another split for freshman pacers, in 1:53.2. Kyle Ater drover for his father, trainer Dan Ater. Dancin Yankee broke his maiden, winning by 4 1/2 lengths.

 

There were two splits for freshman male trotters and the faster went to Rose Run Marcus, with Chris Page steering for trainer Jim Pollock Jr. He sat comfortably off the pace and then passed the leaders in the stretch to hit the wire in 2:01. It was the second win in four starts for the colt.

 

Trainer-driver David Myers only had Reverend Sly for about a week and yet scored a hard-won stakes victory, in 2:01.3. He followed pacesetting Herbie L and inherited the lead when Herbie L broke stride with a quarter-mile remaining. Reverend Sly trotted determinedly down the stretch to fend off late challenges from Sack Full Of Gold and favored JJ Hall. (Scioto Downs)