Northfield hosts Summit Sweepstakes program

Threatening weather could not dampen the spirit of the fans and horsemen competing in the $100K+ Summit County Fair Stakes at Northfield Park Saturday. The highlight of the evening was a trifecta of winnerd for the trio of driver Ryan Stahl, trainer Eric Hamlet and Northfield Wall of Fame owner Jerry Osborne.

 

After Bob Troyer’s Candacraigh ($10.40) won a Billings split in 1:59.3, the stakes action got underway with a $5,750 split for three-year-old filly trotters and favored Mocha Jo ($2.80) led at every call for Chip Noble, posting a comfortable 2:02.1 win over Tripoli and Arbor Pom Pom girl. The Chip Chip Hooray filly is owned by Patricia Davis. The second sophomore filly split, worth $6,150 went to 1-5 Rose Run Keepsake ($2.60) in 2:01. She led at every call and a leisurely 1:02.1 half insured the victory over Lima Echo and Chippednstrawberry. Tom Blankenship called on Russ Swartz to pilot the Armbro Laser filly for owner Ronald Bates.

 

The richest race of the night featured two-year-old filly trotters going after a $15,200 and Bill Irvine and Susies Return ($13.60) pulled a minor upset as she got her first win in 2:03.2. A Beat The Rail filly, She is owned by Melinda Bailey. Flori’s Return was second and Miss Ohio Spur earned show money.

 

The first pacing split, with a $9,800 purse, featured freshman fillies and the Mantacular- Myopia’s Mop filly, Shez Good Osborne ($2.60), raced like her siblings, three of whom have won Ohio Sires titles, cruising gate to wire in a lifetime best 1:58 for owner Jerry Osborne, trainer Eric Hamlet and driver Ryan Stahl. She easily beat Longlegacy and She’s A Ball.

 

Wolf Creek Ted ($12.40) sat the pocket behind favored Rose Run Legend in the first $8,700 two-year-old colt and gelding trot, using the passing lane to end the string of gate-to-wire winners in the 2:02.1 mile. An Emile Angus gelding, Dan Noble drove the winner for trainer Jim Arledge, Jr., and owner Dustin Arledge. Three And Two got the show money. The second freshman colt trot saw Jimmy Smith and Glitzy Sam ($22.40) deny Marty Wollam his 996th career driving win with Count Dracula, posting a 2:02.4 lifetime mark. Smith trains the Victory Sam colt for Flowing Mineral Farms. Birthday Hooray was third.

 

Just five three-year-old fillies pacer contested their Summit Sweepstake and the winner of the $7,600 event was 20-1 Ms Yankee Top ($43.00) who benefitted when 1-5 favorite Holdzmfromfloppin got rough-gaited in the final turn. She edged Forever Ivy in the 1:55.3 mile, lowering her lifetime standard by seven seconds. Elliott Deaton drove the Yankee Cruiser filly for owner-trainer Sue Stockwell. The favorite survived an inquiry to finish third.

 

Driver Ryan Stahl, trainer Eric Hamlet and owner Jerry Osborne were in the winners circle again in the $13,100 single division for two-year-old colt pacers as Cruise On Osborne ($5.60) cruised on by pacesetter Lonesome Cruiser in the passing lane to post a 1:56.3 lifetime mark. Standing Tough finished third to spoil chances for a Yankee Cruiser-sired trifecta in that heat.

 

Two $7,250 heats featured sophomore trotting colts and geldings and in the first division trainer Jeff Conger called on Aaron Merriman to drive Sharp Action and A-rod responded by steering the Pegasus Spur gelding to a 1:59.3 gate-to-wire lifetime best win. Alfred Scherler owns the winner, who held off fast-closing Eel and Master’s Cook. The second split saw Rompaway Beau ($6.80) totally dominate with a 1:57.3 win that put him nearly ten lengths ahead at the wire for Don Harmon. The Chip Chip Hooray gelding posted his 11th win in 22 career starts and pushed his earnings near $60,000. Rompaway Farms owns and bred the winner, who defeated B Contemporary and Trained To Trot.

 

The Pick Four went unsolved, leaving a Monday carryover of nearly $2,000.

 

The Summit Sweepstakes wrapped up with a pair of races for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. In the first split, the Stahl, Hamlet, Osborne show continued with Osborne’s Yankee ($4.80), a Yankee Cruiser brother to Shez Good Osborne, rolling to a gate-to-wire 1:54.2 victory, his 4th in 9 seasonal starts. Winter Cruise was second and Cruzin Bayou and Sadies Legacy dead-heated for the show spot.

 

In The second split, with a $6,250 purse, Somethinsgotagive ($2.80) was 1/5 of a second slower than the first heat winner, but it was enough to secure a win over Medoland Mac and Awesome Abe. Dan Noble drove the Jim Arledge, Jr;,-trainee to the win. Laura Baker owns the Yankee Cruiser gelding, who is now just shy of the $100,000 mark. (Northfield)