Left Photo 2026 Battle of Lake Erie Winner Mossdale Ben N
Right Photo 2026 Buckeye Distaff Winner Odds On Chesapeake
Photos by Diane Wise
Story By Ayers Ratliff for Northfield Park
Driver Jimmy Marohn Jr. walked into the paddock at Northfield Park for the second time in his career and first in 25 years when he came to the northeast oval on Saturday (June 6) to drive #2 Mossdale Ben N in the $250,000 Battle of Lake Erie.
Marohn went to the gate with a plan to land on the lead, but that plan was quickly spoiled by #1 Women Layer (Luke Hanners) who was hustled off the wings and parked #4 Helium N (Dan Noble) through blazing :25.4 and :52.3 early fractions. “I wanted to be aggressive off the gate and try to cut it,” said Marohn. “But that didn’t work out and we had to wait for our trip.”
Up the backstretch, Helium N was weary and started to tire. Not only was he tired, he had also softened-up Women Layer through a 1:20 three-quarters. #3 Captain Albano (Todd McCarthy) moved three-wide, and Prince Hal Hanover (Matt Kakaley) moved four-wide approaching the stretch.
Marohn, who had been in the garden spot the entire mile with a ringside seat to the Women Layer/Helium N slugfest, pulled the pocket and narrowly held off a hard-charging Prince Hal Hanover to stop the clock in 1:48.4, winning the Battle of Lake Erie by a nose.
Owned by PJT Investments, the 8-year-old son of the 2013 Battle of Lake Erie Champion A Rockinroll Dance, is trained by Peter Tritton who picks up his 2nd battle score after winning in 2018 with Bit of a Legend N. It was the 22nd victory for the gelding and bolstered his lifetime bankroll to $902,069.
Mossdale Ben N returned $15.80 to win. Prince Hal Hanover was the runner-up and Huninthelastdolar was third. Also, completing the race in order were Women Layer, Captain Albano, Ken Hanover, For Once Inmy Life, Bythemissal and Helium N.
Two races earlier on the card, Odds On Chesapeake rolled down the stretch to take the $100,000 Buckeye Distaff in 1:51 from post-7. It was the first win of the year and 14th lifetime score for the four-year-old daughter of Downbytheseaside.
The race was a slugfest in the early stages as #1 Real Star (Trevor Smith) took no prisoners through a scintillating :25.3 opening quarter. #2 Hey Hey Mama (Luke Hanners) then made her move to the front and led through fractions of :54 and 1:21.4 taking substantial heat from #9 No Foolin April (Brett Miller), who made a relentless first-over bid.
Odds On Chesapeake was in the live outer flow and was tipped three-wide at the top of the stretch to pace a last quarter of :28.3 and finish 1-1/4 length in front as she victoriously crossed the wire.
Odds On Chesapeake is owned by Odds On Racing and trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. Her $50,000 payday increased her lifetime earnings to $718,560.
Finishing behind Odds On Chesapeake were No Foolin April, Hey Hey Mama, High Flyin’ Filly, Prolific Fire, Tarapasta, Naked On A Hill, Real Star and Factory Girl. She returned $14.60 to win.
