Lather Up and Bounding Dragon each captured a $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts on Saturday, Aug. 18 in fourth round Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) action at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

By virtue of their victories, the third in the series for Bounding Dragon and the second for Lather Up, both have secured a starting berth in the $275,000 Championship set for Sept. 8 at Scioto Downs.

Lather Up, a son of Im Gorgeous trained by Clyde Francis for breeders-owners Gary & Barbara Iles of Harrington, DE, stormed to a 1:50.2 clocking in his division for driver Montrell Teague. This dark bay colt sat third until just past the :27.1 first quarter, then pulled first and took control of the race on the front, snapping a :54.1 half and a 1:22.1 third-quarter before posting a 1:50.2 victory three-and-a-half lengths ahead of Sectionline Bigry. Dragonology, a 38-1 long shot, finished third for Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.

Lather Up left the gate at 1-9 odds for his connections and upped his career earnings to $601,465. He had previously won leg one in 1:50 at Miami Valley and later captured the $1 million America Cup at Woodbine in a blistering 1:48.1. He also won a Hempt elim in 1:49 at The Poconos and an Ohio Fair Stake at Scioto on Aug. 4 in 1:49.4.

Bounding Dragon, a son of Dragon Again, had already won legs one and three of this series and added his 1:51.1 to his credentials as the 4-5 favorite in the second OHSS split.

Driver Dan Noble had Bounding Dragon on the front from nearly start to finish, pacing through panels of :26.3, :54.3 and 1:22.3 before turning in a :28.3 last brush to hold off 8-1 rival Seeing Eye Single by a head. Drew The Dragon and Aaron Merriman notched show honours at 5-1 odds.

Bounding Dragon, who has OHSS earnings of $80,000 this season and career earnings of $201,509 is the leading point earner in the series, with 179. Mike Roth conditions the winner for owners Alan Keith and Carl & Melanie Atley.

Rockathon sits second in the standings with 121 points, while Lather Up is third with 102 and Seeing Eye Single is fourth with 87 points. Cinnamack sits fifth with 70 points, with Sectionline Bigry sixth with 58 points and Slick Mick and Rockn Motion are seventh and eighth with 53 points each. Jojos Pet Rock is set in ninth with 41 points. The next highest point earners are Letsallrock, with 31 points and Sip And A Bite, with 26 points.

OHSS action continues with two $50,000 Leg Four divisions for three-year-old trotting fillies on Monday, Aug. 20 at Northfield Park.

(With files from the Ohio Sires Stakes)