Harness racing’s big night at Scioto Downs is crowned (pun intended) by some big, big names this weekend as the Breeders Crown takes national center stage in central Ohio. Press Pros will be there.
Columbus, OH — Big Ranger is ‘The Big Story.’
When the Breeders Crown unfolds this weekend at beautiful Scioto Downs, most Standardbred folks are looking forward to the $700,000 Grade 1 trot for 3-year-old colts on Saturday.
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Why not?
In 19 career starts, Big Ranger has won 15 and finished second once, accumulating $965,959 in purses.
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One of his losses was in this year’s Hambletonian, a loss by a twitch of the nose to Apex.
And he is trying to recover from a sixth place finish in the Kentucky Futurity at the Red Mile in Lexington.
He took the first steps last weekend when he breezed home first in his qualifying elimination race in 1:51.1 with Tim Tetrick in the sulky.
Big Ranger is 10-for-10 at Scioto Downs.
But there is an incredible side story.
Big Ranger has a little sister. Her name is Blue Ranger and she will be front and center Friday night when she races in the $700,000 Grade 1 filly trot.
Like her big brother, Scioto Downs is a pleasure palace. She matched her own track record during the qualifying elimination race in 1:53.1.
She set the record September 12 while winning the $300,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for 2-year-old filly trotters.
Both Big Ranger and Blue Ranger were bred at Spring Haven Farms in Utica, OH., owned by Jeff and Serena Esty, about an hour northeast of Scioto Downs.
Bigger than big…Eldorado Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio hosts its monumental 2026 Breeders Crown Championships this weekend on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, 2026. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
That was like purchasing the Hope Diamond for $10.
Since then, first under local legend trainer/driver Ronnie Gillespie, Big Ranger won all seven of his 2-year-old starts including the Ohio Sires Stakes.
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He won Ohio’s Triple Crown, sweeping all three legs on the Ohio Fairs Circuit.
For all of that, Big Ranger was named Ohio Horse of the Year.
Then in a controversial move that lacked communications on both sides, the Madison Global owners decided to take Gillespie out of the picture, moving the big colt to trainer Annette Lorentzon and driver Tim Tetrick.
And Big Ranger responded with his second straight Ohio Sires Stakes. But then came the by- a-nose loss in the Hambletonia and the sixth place finish in the Kentucky Futurity.
Because of Big Ranger’s success, when Blue Ranger hit the auction barn she went for $210,000 to Bender Sweden, Inc. and is trained by Marcus Melander.
She owns three wins and three thirds in seven starts with purse winnings at $251,480.
Big Ranger and Blue Ranger were bred by In Range out of the mare Blue Bird.
Siblings never have won Breeders Crown races in the same year, but half-brothers did it in 2011 at Woodbine. Bettor Sweet and Sweet Lou, both out of Sweet Future, won races.
Ron Gillespie, the original trainer/driver, still has a special place deep in his heart for Big Ranger and said, “He’s a horse that has it all — the attitude, the speed. He’s a big horse, but he is so versatile.”
How ‘Big’ is racing in Ohio? “It’s a $3 billion dollar annual industry, and growing,” says former Ohio state representative from Greenville, Jim Buchy. Buchy is a member of the Ohio Standardbred Development Commission.
And the current driver, Tim Tetrick?
“He’s a real pleasure,” he said. “They don’t come along very often and he reminds me of really good horses that I’ve driven in the past. He’s a special animal.
“He makes my job really easy,” he added. “He’s a good-gaiter and he’s a lot of fun.”
Tetrick, a legend under a driver’s helmet, is already in the harness racing Hall of Fame and last month collected his 15,000th career win. He’s won more than $300 million in purses.
And who is driving Blue Ranger?
That would be fellow Hall of Famer Dexter Dunn, a wizard with the whip and owner of more than 4,000 wins and is approaching $17 million in purse winnings.
The two days constitute standbred racing’s biggest even of the year, featuring 12 Grade 1 races with more than $7 million up for grabs.
Post time both nights in 6 p.m.There will be four finals for 2-year-olds on Friday and eight finals for 3-year-olds on Saturday.
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