Seven $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and fillies were contested on a balmy Saturday evening (July 24) at Scioto Downs.

Hotshot Temptress got the evening started by setting a track record for two-year-old pacing fillies of 1:51.2, with Brett Miller driving for trainer Kyle Ater. The homebred daughter of McArdle is owned by Rebecca Ewing’s Ivy Holdings of Apple Creek, Ohio. The winner left the gate as the 5-2 choice and was well ahead of 9-1 Sloopy at the wire, with 29-1 longshot Spitting Image getting up for third. Hotshot Temptress pushed her career earnings to $25,200 with the win, the first of her career in three tries.

Cape Cod Hanover made it three in a row with a 1:53.1 score in the second division for pacing fillies. Trained by Ron Burke and driven by Chris Page, the daughter of Downbytheseaside prevailed easily after winning leg one in 1:53.3 and now has $43,400 in career earnings. Cape Cod Hanover was the 1-5 favourite, besting 5-1 Mermaid By The Sea, with 10-1 Allnight Miki third.

Dragon Lady and driver Chris Page used an inside move to come up in the final strides and best the leading Secret Side Piece in the third OHSS filly division. The daughter of Fear The Dragon stopped the clock in 1:54 for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, William Donovan and Let It Ride Stable. Dragon Lady was the 3-1 choice, with Secret Side Piece the 3-5 favourite, and third-place finisher Big Time Barbie a mild longshot at 12-1. The victory was the first in three starts for Dragon Lady, who now has $32,000 in lifetime earnings.

Sea Silk captured the final OHSS contest for two-year-old pacing fillies, stopping the timer in 1:52.2 with her third-consecutive victory and second in this series. The daughter of Downbytheseaside took leg one in 1:53.3 for driver Chris Page and trainer Ron Burke, who owns Sea Silk in partnership with Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Hatfield Stables. Sea Silk now has $115,000 in career earnings and was the 1-2 favourite in this stake, followed by 9-1 Bottle N Cork, with 20-1 longshot Avia Hanover third.

Seaside Way captured the first of three OHSS divisions for freshmen pacing colts, stopping the clock in lifetime-best 1:52 with Chris Page driving for trainer Ronnie Burke. The son of Downbytheseaside is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Slaughter Racing, and pushed his career earnings to $25,760 with his first career win as the 6-5 favourite. Shane Falco was second for Danny Noble with 10-1 longshot Seaside Jet getting up for third.

Gulf Shores cruised to a lifetime-best 1:51.3 mile in the second OHSS division for pacing colts, steered by Ronnie Wrenn Jr., to his second-straight win for trainer Brian Brown. The son of Downbytheseaside left the gate as the 1-9 favourite, besting 26-1 Tre Cruz by open lengths, with 14-1 Risenshine Seaside third. Gulf Shores now has $40,000 in career earnings.

Sling Shock didn’t disappoint his backers as the 1-9 favourite, scoring his third-consecutive victory in 1:53.2 for trainer Christi Noble and driver Danny Noble in the third OHSS division for pacing colts. The son of Downbytheseaside upped his lifetime earnings to $115,000 by defeating 30-1 Terminator, who was second, and 15-1 Rose Run Xplosion, who finished third.

(Ohio Sires Stakes)