in straight heats Wednesday afternoon at the Delaware County, Ohio Fairgrounds.
In the $179,631 final, Just Wait Kate and Belovedangel (Ron Pierce) battled for the early lead. The eventual winner took control of the field before the quarter mile pole and held on to a 3/4 length victory over the second elimination winner, Western Cruise (Andy Miller). The winning time of 1:52, combined with her elim win in 1:52 3/5 established a new two-heat world record.
The homebred daughter of Real Artist won for the 7th time in 10 seasonal starts for Arlene and Jules Siegel of New Hope, PA. “This mare (Just Wait Kate) just accelerated. She won’t let nobody get past her saddlepad.” noted winning driver Eric Ledford, who was also celebrating his 34th birthday. “I’ve been very fortunate here (at Delaware) the last four or five years.”
In the first $59,877 elimination, Freezer Cash (Luc Ouellette) got the first call but quickly broke stride forcing most of the field to go wide through the first turn. Just Wait Kate took control of the field and the fractions of :27.2; :55.4 and 1:23.2. Belovedangel (David Miller) mounted a challenge in the lane but came up a length short. Bound For Glory (John Campbell) and Felicia Scott (Yannick Gingras) also advanced to the final.
The second elimination went to Brittany Farm’s Western Cruise (Eric Ledford) in a stakes record equaling 1:51 2/5. Chotat Milk (David Miller) was alertly sent to the early lead and established the :27.2; :56; and 1:23.4 panels.
Ifyoucouldcwhati C (Luc Ouellette) was sent first-over to challenge the pacesetter, but she soon faltered forcing Western Cruise to make a three-wide move at the three-quarter pole. The daughter of Western Hanover swooped past Chotat Milk and opened up a 7 ¾ length score. Music City Miracle (Ron Pierce) and Marine Hall (Rick Zeron) completed the top four finishers.
Pair of $52,000 Buckette divisions contested
Two $52,000 divisions of the Buckette for three-year-old filly trotters were contested on Wednesday at Delaware.
The first division went to Kathleen La Montagne’s Motivational with a wire-to-wire effort in 1:57.2. George Brennan was in the sulky as the Muscles Yankee lass won for the sixth time in 15 trips to the post in 2005, improving her season’s bankroll to $100,141.
Starting from the seventh and outside post in this field of seven, Motivational left alertly and cleared to the front at the opening panel of :28.2. She rated the field though middle fractions of :58.3 and 1:28.1, then put in a final panel of :29.1 to reach the wire in the winning time of 1:57.2. Lady Lifter (Brian Sears), who came first over heading to the three-quarter pole finished second, one and three-quarter lengths behind the winner. Victory Treasure (John Campbell) finished third.
The victory was the 14th in 27 lifetime starts for Motivational, who was making her final career start according to her owner/trainer Kathleen La Montagne.
The second $52,000 Buckette division went to Patty Hogan, Ed Lohmeyer, and Joan Stoddard’s Pacific Centerfold with a hard fought, 1:58 victory. Trainer/driver Ed Lohmeyer steered the daughter of S J’s Photo to her fourth win in 14 seasonal starts, with 2005 earnings of $56,534.
Traci Spur (Dick Stillings) was the early leader in this field of eight, taking the field to the opening quarter of :28 with Pacific Centerfold sitting in the pocket second. Heading to the :57.1 half-mile marker, Nikki’s Game (Eric Ledford) motored to the front, shuffling Traci Spur to second and Pacific Centerfold to third. Nikki’s Game was still in front at the 1:28 three-quarter pole, but Pacific Centerfold pulled off the rail and was second on the outside. These two raced side-by-side down the stretch with Pacific Centerfold getting up for a one and a quarter length victory over Traci Spur in 1:58. Nikki’s Game had to settle for third place money.
“It’s really a thrill,” said co-owner Patty Hogan of Pacific Centerfold’s win. “She’s a wonderful filly, there’s nothing wrong with her, she’s always been so good and done everything so right. I’m so proud of her and so proud of my husband (Ed Lohmeyer). I know he feels added pressure because it’s his wife’s horse.”
OBC Divisions Raced Wednesday at Delaware
One Fast Trickster, Civil Attack and Touchtown won divisions of Wednesday afternoon’s Ohio Breeders Championships for two-year-old colt pacers.
One Fast Trickster moved quickly just past the three-quarters and held on to defeat Top Domaine (Mike Wilder) by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:56. The Cam’s Magic Trick gelding scored his fourth career decision for driver Jeff Nisonger and trainer Scott Mogan.
Civil Attack captured the fastest division in 1:54.4 for David Miller by 4 1/2 lengths over Air McNair (Chip Noble). The On The Attack colt, trained by Dean Collins, picked up his second career victory, in a wire-to-wire performance.
Touchtown won the third division by eight lengths over $100,000 Ohio Sires Stakes champion Osborne’s Bullet (Keith Kash, Jr.) in a leisurely 1:55.1. Trained by Scott Cox, the On The Attack colt now has five wins in eight career starts.
Doctor Rodney rallied in the final strides to edge Coal Black Beauty (Ray Fisher) by a head to win the $14,000 OBC Senior Pace in a career best 1:52.4. The 4-year-old gelding won for only the third time this season for trainer Mike Weller. Brian Sears was the winning driver.
Indian Hill Rocket and R U A Looker added the second leg of the Ohio Triple Crown with division victories in the $51,952 OBC three-year-old colt trot. Indian Hill Rocket, who won the $100,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Championship, defeated Nathan My Boy (Jeff Fout) in 1:58.4. Luc Ouelette drove the Corleonecolt for trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr.
R U A Looker, driven by Hugh Beatty, Jr., took the second division in 1:58 over Haste. The Jim Mullinix-trained Ilooklikemymom gelding won the $30,900 Ohio State Fair Stakes earlier this season.
