A quintet of $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions spotlighted 49 Buckeye-bred, freshman trotting fillies at Northfield Park on Tuesday (July 3), which proved to be another balmy summer night.

Daryl Sherman’s and Melissa Patterson’s Spirit Bell, a daughter by Southwind Spirit, turned in the speediest performance of the evening among Ohio Sires Stakes contestants, with a 1:58 clocking in the second sires stakes division.

Reined by Ryan Stahl for trainer Kent Sherman, Spirit Bell was sent off as the 4-5 choice and responded with a wire-to-wire performance. She finished one and a half lengths ahead of 8-1 second-place finisher So Romantic (driven by Ken Holiday), while 9-5 Back Splash (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) nailed down third-place monies.

Bred by Dublin Valley Farm, Spirit Bell collected the $20,000 winner’s share of the sires stakes purse for her connections in what was her pari-mutuel debut. She is the first foal out of the Majestic Son mare Keystone Isabella 3, 1:57.2h ($42,456).

Aunt Rose, the 4-5 favourite, also put in a front-stepping performance to capture the first sires stakes division for driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. and trainer Chris Beaver, who owns the bay daughter by Uncle Peter along with Joe Sbrocco and Steven Zeehandelar. Timed in 1:59.1, Aunt Rose trotted confidently throughout the mile and easily defeated 2-1 And Up We Go (Greg Grismore) by seven lengths. Bad Babysitter, 7-2, finishing third for Danny Noble.

Bred by Spring Haven Farm and Doug Millard, Aunt Rose is the eighth foal out of the Yankee Glide mare Lightning Flower 3, 1:56.2m ($5,725) and is a half-sister to Lightning Storm (by Donato Hanover) 4, 1:53.2f ($341,917); Wildflower (by Muscle Hill) 3, 1:55m ($265,437); and Lightning Force (by Muscle Hill) 3, 1:53 ($169,906).

See Me Sparkle did just that in the third sires stakes division. Trained by J L Adams and driven by Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., the daughter by Broadway Hall notched her first career victory in 2:00.3 with a dramatic, come-from-behind victory which saw her brush her final panel in a snappy :28.3. Sent off at odds of 4-1, See Me Sparkle bested 12-1 longshot One Last Howl (Mike Wilder) by a length, while 8-1 Aunt Marilynn (Aaron Merriman) finished third.

Bred by Midland Acres, See Me Sparkle is owned by the Pennsylvania-based trio of partners M A Valentic, J R Bednarksi & K L Adams. The brown filly is the fifth foal out of the Master Lavec mare Queen Of Lavec 2, Q1:59.4f ($32,258) and has half-siblings in: Queen Of Justice (by Justice Hall) 3, 1:56.3s ($79,273); Jailhouse King (by Jailhouse Jess) 4, 1:56f ($76,766); and Little King Cole (by Jailhouse Jesse) 4, 1:57f ($51,662).

Dan Ater’s and Kirk Nichol’s Vivi D posted a 1:59.2 victorious clocking in the fourth sires stakes division with Ater’s son, Kyle, in the sulky. The Broadway Hall lass zipped through panels of :29.3; 1:00.4 and 1:30 at odds of 5-1 for her connections in what was her pari-mutuel debut. She held on in the late going to finish a neck in front of the hard-trying 4-5 favourite Only Take Cash (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.). Pure Chance, at 9-5, was third for driver Aaron Merriman.

Bred by D & M Robinson and R. Mondillo, Vivi D is the third foal out of the unraced Cantab Hall mare Fortheloveoflindy.

Trainer Chris Beaver returned to the Northfield Park winner’s circle in the final sires stakes division, this time with the even-money favourite, Stone In Love, who he owns in partnership with Jim Burnette and Tim Homan. The daughter of Wishing Stone prevailed in 1:59.2 for driver Aaron Merriman and bested 2-1 Box Cars (Ryan Stahl) by a length and a quarter at the wire. Princessofpink, at 10-1, was third for Tony Hall.

Stone In Love is the third foal out of the Cantab Hall mare PFront Bye Bye 3, 1:56.3f ($77,820), and has half-sisters in Chelsees A Winner 4, 1:55.4f ($81,982) and Party Upfront 3, 2:00.4h ($27,312) — both of whom are sired by Big Rigs. She was bred by Mark Ford and Ed Mullinax.

Ohio Sires Stakes action will continue Wednesday afternoon at Scioto Downs, as five $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions for two-year-old pacing colts will face the gate.

(OSDF)