A quartet of three-year-old colts and geldings of both gaits battled in $50,000 round two divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes on Friday night (June 26) at Scioto Downs.

A total of 13 trotters passed the entry box while 17 pacers were entered into these OHSS divisions. Among the Ohio-registered trotting stallions represented, four are by Uncle Peter, three by Triumphant Caviar, two by the exported Wishing Stone and one each by Broadway Hall, Dejarmbro, Fully Count and Knight Of Intrigue.

Ohio-registered pacing sires represented include three each by Big Bad John, Dragon Again and Rockin Amadeus while Pet Rock has two foals competing, with Bigrisk, Gunthatwonthewest, Mr Wiggles, Nob Hill High, Western Vintage and Yankee Cruiser having one foal each racing in an OHSS contest.

In the first of the two $50,000 OHSS divisions for trotters (Race 2), Wading Boots and driver Chris Page used come-from-behind tactics to score an easy victory in a new career clocking of 1:55 for trainer Ronnie Burke and co-owners Weaver Bruscemi, Larry Karr, and Phil Collura. Facing off against five rivals, the homebred Wishing Stone gelding was content to sit tight through fractions of :27.4, :57.2 and 1:25.1 before stepping up his game in the homestretch as the 1-2 favourite. The victory, Wading Boots’ second of his career and first of 2020, upped his career earnings to $58,380 for his connections. Stonefire US (Dewayne Minor) was second at 10-1, while 17-1 Uncle Andy (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was third. Wading Boots is the third foal out of the SJs Caviar mare Sequin Hanover, 4, 1:53M ($55,835) and is a full brother to U Need Stones 4, 1:53 ($241,075) and Well Im Fancy 2, Q1:59.3f ($34,355).

Stanford Court (1-5) took command early in the first OHSS pacing division (Race 6) for driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr., and held off a late charge by 2-1 Ocean Rock (Danny Noble) to score his second triumph of the season in 1:50.3. Doin The Most (Kurt Sugg) raced well to be third as the 5-1 choice. Trained by Brian Brown, Stanford Court, a homebred son of Nob Hill High, is owned by Robert Mondillo, Richard Lombardo, Hen-Shaut Stable and Lightning 5 Racing Stable, and now has $136,710 in career earnings from three wins in 10 starts. This large bay colt is the second foal out of the Western Ideal mare Odds On Hemera, p, 3, 1:56.4 ($43,145) and is a half-brother to Pure Paradise (by McArdle) p, 2, 1:53 ($102,743).

Elver Hanover kept his unblemished record intact, taking the second OHSS pacing division (Race 10) easily in 1:51 for driver Chris Page and trainer Ronnie Burke. The three-year-old gelding, by Yankee Cruiser, out of the The Panderosa mare Edra Hanover, notched career victory number 10 as the 2-5 favourite. Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, this youngster now sports a career bankroll of $388,450. Can Be Perfect (6-1) was second for Tyler Smith, while 3-1 Dragon Roars Again got up for third for driver Brett Miller.

Action Uncle easily took the second OHSS for diagonally-gaited specialists with a new lifetime mark of 1:53 for driver Brett Miller. Virgil Morgan Jr. trains the son of Uncle Peter who notched his second straight OHSS triumph and third seasonal victory in as many tries for owners Carl Howard, Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills. Bred by Kenneth Sommer, Action Uncle, who left the gate as the 1-9 favourite, now has $281,075 in career earnings. Its Academic (5-1) was second for Chris Page, with 59-1 longshot Doubleyellowline a healthy third for Danny Noble.

(With files from OSDF)