Ohio racing highlights from 2025
by Jay Wolf
The 2026 Chinese New Year, the Year of the Horse, is still a couple of weeks away, but we take a look back at some of the more memorable moments of the past racing season in the Buckeye State.
SATURDAY (JAN. 18) — SUGAR INSTEAD NAMED ‘OHIO HORSE OF THE YEAR’
The 3-year-old filly trotter by Volstead was tapped as Ohio’s best in 2024. She earned $541,739 and won 15 of 17 seasonal starts, including the Ohio ‘Triple Crown’ – State Fair, Ohio Breeders Championship, and the Sire Stakes Scarlet.
SATURDAY (JAN. 18) — DONALD ‘SKIP’ HOOVLER JOINS OHIO HALL OF FAME
Skip Hoovler, owner and staunch supporter of the industry, became the 51st member of the Ohio Hall of Fame.
SUNDAY (FEB. 23) — BREEDERS CROWN HEADS TO ELDORADO SCIOTO DOWNS
It was announced that the Breeders Crown would return to Columbus, OH, for the 2026 edition of the year-end championships.
THURSDAY (MARCH 20) — MYERS SUCCUMBS TO INJURIES
MGM Northfield Park based reinsman, Hunter Myers, died from injuries sustained in a racing accident the previous afternoon at The Meadows.
SUNDAY (MARCH 30) — TRAINER NABS NUMBER 1,000
Trainer Jessica Roegner visited the winner’s circle for the 1,000th time at Miami Valley Raceway with Back In My Day in 1:50.1.
MONDAY (MARCH 31) — NOBLE PICKS UP 8,000TH WIN
Dan Noble earned career win No. 8,000 at Miami Valley Raceway with Terminator in 1:52.2.
SATURDAY (APRIL 5) — SMITH GETS 1,000TH TRAINING WIN
Veteran trainer Jeff Smith sent out his 1,000th winner thanks to the effort of Sayinwhatimthinkin at Miami Valley Raceway. Jeff’ son Trevor was the winning reinsman.
SUNDAY (APRIL 13) — CAM MCCOWN REINS WINNER 1,000
Cam McCown reached the 1K win mark with Rock With Jk at MGM Northfield Park. The winner was conditioned by Cam’s wife, Jessica.
TUESDAY (APRIL 22) — VETERAN GRISMORE WINS NUMBER 8,000
Northfield Park regular Greg Grismore earned his 8,000th career driving win aboard Disgruntled Carl in 1:58.1.
SATURDAY (MAY 3) — MIAMI VALLEY RACEWAY MEET ENDS
Dan Noble won the driving title, and Steve Carter took the training crown for the 2025 meet at Miami
Valley Gaming.
SATURDAY (JUNE 7) — THE BATTLE GOES TO KEN
Ken Hanover and driver Brett Miller wins the $200,000 (Grade 2) Battle of Lake Erie in world record fashion at MGM Northfield Park. The final time was 1:48.3.
MONDAY (JUNE 9) — OHIO FAIR SEASON KICKS OFF
Juliet Capulet (Nick Clegg) won the first Ohio county fair race of the season. The 2-year-old filly pacer won in 2:06.4 at the Paulding County Fair.
WEDNESDAY (JULY 2) — TYLER SMITH DRIVES 5,000TH WINNER
Driver Tyler Smith earned his 5,000th career victory aboard Mongolian Hero N at Eldorado Scioto Downs in 1:51.2.
SATURDAY (JULY 5) — NEXT GENERATION OF STARS SHINE
Big Ranger (Ronnie Gillespie) set a new track record of 1:54 for colt trotters in the $150,000 Next Generation at Eldorado Scioto Downs. I’llbetyourboots and Chris Page tied the stakes record for the 2-year-old colt pace division in 1:52. Setyoursightshigh (Mike Wilder) won the 2-year-old filly trot in 1:56.3.
SUNDAY (JULY 6) — ALDRICH ENTERS THE HALL
Long-time Northfield Park track exec Tom Aldrich is enshrined into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, NY.
THURSDAY (JULY 31) — BIG RANGER GIVES GILLESPIE 1,000TH
The 2-year-old colt trotter, Big Ranger gave his driver, Ronnie Gillespie, career win No. 1,000 in the Ohio State Fair stakes.
SATURDAY (AUG. 9) — MILSTEIN TO THE PRINCE
Prince Hal Hanover romps in $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial at MGM Northfield Park in 1:50.1.
FRIDAY (SEPT. 12) — OHIO SELECT SALE BRINGS $8.7 MILLION
The next wave of Ohio superstars went through the sales ring at the Ohio Select Sale featuring the largest consignment of Ohio breds.
THURSDAY (SEPT. 18) — LOUPRINT CRUISES IN LBJ
Louprint captured the 80th Little Brown Jug giving Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. his first Jug and trainer Ron Burke his fifth.
SATURDAY (SEPT. 27) — OHIO CHAMPIONS CROWNED ON SUPER NIGHT
Eight Ohio Sire Stakes champions were crowned at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway. The night was headlined by Big Ranger, who completed the ‘Ohio Triple Crown,’ with his wins in the State Fair Stake, Ohio Breeders Championship and the Ohio Sire Stakes final.
SATURDAY (SEPT. 27) — THE ‘ROARIN GRAND’ STOPS IN DAYTON
Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway hosted the Dayton Derbies, four graded stakes. Lexus Kody impresses in the older trot thanks to his worst to first score in 1:51.4.
SATURDAY (OCT. 4) — HANNERS MILESTONE IN BSS FINAL
The top Buckeye Stallion Series horses battled in the $75,000 final at Northfield Park. Driver Luke Hanners picked up career win No. 1,000 with Travel Nurse in the sophomore filly trot.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY (OCT. 24-25) — BUCKEYES SHINE IN BREEDERS CROWN
The state of Ohio was well represented in the year-end championship event. Half of the equine champions had Ohio connections – owner, trainer, driver, or breeder.
WEDNESDAY (OCT. 29) — BRIAN BROWN TRAINS 2,000TH WINNER
The veteran trainer recorded his 2,000th career win at Dayton Raceway with Groove, driven by his son-in-law Cam McCown.
SUNDAY (NOV. 16) — JUSTIN IRVINE WINS 1,000TH
The 23-year-old Justin Irvine achieved his 1,000th career driving victory with Ponda Model in 1:57 at Northfield Park.
TUESDAY (NOV. 25) — MERRIMAN TAKES 17,000TH
Driver Aaron Merriman won for the 17,000th time with Baby Yoda in 1:58.2 at MGM Northfield Park.
WEDNESDAY (NOV. 26) — TRAINER MILLNER PICKS UP 1,000TH
Jessica Millner trained her 1,000th winner at MGM Northfield Park with Annie L.
TUESDAY (DEC. 30) — HOLLYWOOD GAMING AT DAYTON RACEWAY MEET CONCLUDES
The 2025 meet training title was captured by Ron Burke. Driver Chris Page ran away with the driver’s title.
TUESDAY (DEC. 30) — MGM NORTHFIELD PARK WRAPS UP 2025 SEASON; NOBLE WINS 10 AGAIN
Trainer Cory Kreiser and driver Aaron Merriman take the dash titles for the Route 8 oval. Dan Noble wins 10 of his 14 starts on the closing night card.
