The Luther brothers — owner Greg Luther and trainer Todd Luther — and driver Austin Hanners swept the $133,600 (div.) Ohio Breeders Championship for two-year-old filly pacers on Sunday at the Delaware County Fair.
In the second $66,800 division, Hanners fired Skywalker Sea out of post position No. 5 and grabbed the early lead and sprinted past the quarter in :27.3.
The field of six raced in single file past the half in :56.3.
Lilly Grace Hill (Kayne Kauffman) was the first to challenge, but was parked past the three-quarters in 1:24.3.
Skywalker Sea used a 28.1 last quarter to win by 7 ¼ lengths in 1:52.4.
The homebred daughter of Downbytheseaside went to the winner’s circle for the third time in 2024 and pushed her earnings to $115,600.
The completion of the first division changed when the heavily favored The Word Is Out (Chris Page) made a break in stride at the start, allowing Prolific Fire to grab the early, winning in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:53.3.
The winner is from the first crop of Catch The Fire and was bred by Spring Haven Farm.
Queen Of Fear (Brett Miller) was a length back in second. The Word Is Out rebounded to take the show spot.
Seafire takes OBC Aged Pace
Chris Page gave Seafire a patient steer and was able to wear down the pacesetting Act Fast (Aaron Merriman) in the final strides in the $36,000 OBC Aged Pace.
The four-year-old Downbytheseaside stallion sat second behind Act Fast through the quarters in :26.4, :54.2 and 1:21.1. Page angled the eventual winner off the rail in the final turn to score by a nose in 1:50.
Seafire is conditioned by Brian Brown for Country Club Acres, Joelyn Ridder, Mark Kantrowitz, and Scott Davis. He was bred by Enos A. Weaver.
Charlie May (Dan Noble) was third in the three-horse win photo.
Oldford takes Fouts Memorial
Driver Steve Oldford, substituting for the Southern Tier Amateur Club at Tioga Downs, won the $5,000 Tim Fouts Memorial Standardbred Driving Championship.
Oldford steered JK’s Champ to a 1:54.4 victory. The winner is owned by Robert A. Rodrigues and trained by Walter Haynes, Jr.
The event brings the top amateur drivers from around the country.
Great Lakes Amateur Driving Association trots to Ferrari and Johnson
Christina Johnson watched a pair of dueling leaders and benefited from the quick pace and guided Nothingbutadreamer to a 1:55.1 victory in the second division of the amateur trot.
Larry Ferrari and Lmc Mass Gem took the first division in 1:58.
Jay Wolf is the Little Brown Jug publicity director.