The Ohio Sires Stakes for two-year-old pacers made its first stop of 2025 at MGM Northfield Park on Sunday, July 13 with four $68,493 divisions for colts and geldings and two $89,041 splits for fillies.

Trainer Ron Burke scored his first of three Ohio Sires Stakes wins on the night in the opening division for two-year-old pacing males as Lindy Dragonwater (Downbytheseaside-Imagine Dragon) scored a decisive victory.

Maserati Marv (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) left alertly, defending pylon position and clearing rivals entering the first turn, with Lindy Dragonwater taking up pocket position with I Am The Sea (Sam Widger) in third. The field was in straight alignment to the quarter in :28.3 with Wrenn dictating the fractions. Maserati Marv was able to work out a big second-quarter breather, getting to the half in :59 with U Cant Catch This (Dan Noble) breathing down his neck after making a first-over bid for the lead.

The pair dueled through much of the backstretch, but at three-quarters in 1:26.1, Maserati Marv put away U Cant Catch This. Lindy Dragonwater had fresh legs turning for home after a ground-saving trip though, and he cruised by the leader to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.2. Maserati Marv was second, while Pet Project (Trevor Smith) rallied to be third.

Lindy Dragonwater, owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Beasty LLC, and Brad Grant, broke his maiden on Sunday and pushed his career earnings to $35,725.

Fresh off a victory in the $202,703 Next Generation at Scioto Downs, the Burke-trained Illbetyourboots (Summa Cum Laude-Age Of Consent) made it three wins in a row in the second division.

Fired Up Henry L (Hank LeVan) and Simon Sez Go (Chris Lems) dueled into the first turn, with Fired Up Henry L getting the upper hand as the field entered the backstretch. Illbetyourboots (Chris Page), third around the clubhouse turn, was not content with waiting and made a move to the front, clearing before a :27.4 first quarter.

At the half, in a well-rated :58.1, Illbetyourboots continued to cruise on the front-end without being challenged. Entering the backstretch for the final time, Spanky Mcgee (Mike Micallef) began to apply pressure, advancing first-over on the leader. As they approached the three-quarters in 1:26.1, Spanky Mcgee continued to gain on the pacesetter, but Illbetyourboots accelerated through the stretch under confident handling by Page, and won by two lengths in 1:54. Spanky Mcgee had to settle for second, and Thunder Jam (Mike Wilder) closed gamely to be third.

Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, Knox Services, and Larry Karr, Illbetyourboots now has career earnings of $142,391 and three wins in four attempts.

Burke completed his OHSS triple as he won the first division for fillies with Seaside Shuffle (Downbytheseaside-Hula Shuffle) in a 5-1 upset. Much like the first division, there was lots of action throughout the mile. Deep Satin (Micallef), Nancy Jane (Noble), and Seaside Shuffle (Wrenn) all tussled for the early lead.

After a three-wide skirmish for much of the first eighth of a mile, the trio sorted themselves out entering the backstretch. Deep Satin was relegated back to third, while Seaside Shuffle cleared Nancy Jane for the lead just before a :28 opening quarter. Getting to the half in :58.1, Wrenn was able to work out a second-quarter breather. That is where things began to heat up.

Entering the backstretch for the final time, Wrenn gave Seaside Shuffle a couple of taps as heavy favourite Shacarri (Page) advanced first-over. As Shacarri inched closer to the leader, Nancy Jane, who was in the pocket, jumped off stride and left the course. Seaside Shuffle got to the three-quarters in 1:27.1 and began to create some separation on the rest of her foes. Turning for home, Shacarri went off stride and scattered those behind her. Through the stretch, Deep Satin made one final charge, but Seaside Shuffle dug in gamely to win by a nose in 1:54.3. Vanna By The River (Wilder) was third.

Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services, and R A S Racing LLC, Seaside Shuffle increased her career earnings to $50,331 in her second win in two starts

In the third colt-and-gelding division, Swelce (Summa Cum Laude-Im Fondue Of You) received the perfect trip and rallied through the stretch to win by a neck.

Sparks N Fire (Austin Hanners) and Swelce (Wilder) both left alertly from the word go, and Sparks N Fire worked to the lead entering the first turn in a :28.2 opening quarter. The field remained in straight alignment past the half in :59, with Sparks N Fire controlling the tempo. 

Heading into the backstretch, longshot Skull N Crossbones (Chris Page) tipped to the outside and tried to advance on Sparks N Fire and Swelce but stalled past the three-quarters in 1:28 as the leaders drew clear. Turning for home, Wilder sent Swelce to the outside, and the gelding wore down Sparks N Fire in the final strides to win in 1:55. Skull N Crossbones was third.

Swelce, pwned by Kathy Gorby, Nisonger Stable LLC, and Mitchell Standardbreds Inc., pushed his career earnings to $89,961 with his second win in four starts for trainer Jeff Nisonger.

In the final division for males, odds-on favourite Gentlemans Club (Downbytheseaside-See You At Peelers) won in gate-to-wire fashion.

Gentlemans Club (Aaron Merriman) and Fires Champ (Austin Hanners) both left quickly off the wings of the gate, but Gentlemans Club got the jump on his foes and made his way to the lead through the first turn. Setting fractions of :29 and :58.2, Gentlemans Club had a very easy trip with no pressure until they reached the backstretch for the final time. When Is Parade (Chris Page) began to challenge when he advanced from third past the three-quarters in 1:26.3, but Gentlemans Club accelerated away to a 2-3/4-length victory in 1:54.3. Fires Champ finished second, followed by When Is Parade.

Trained by Aaron Lambert and owned by Anthony Licastro, Gentlemans Club is now two-for-two to kick off his career, with earnings of $43,705.

The first division of the opening leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies contained much excitement throughout the mile with Shesafirewoman (Catch The Fire-Shesasmokinlady) putting away foes late in a dominant victory.

The fireworks started early with Rose Run Bella (Tyler Smith) firing hard off the wings entering the first turn. While it appeared she would clear rivals, she had to settle for pocket position entering the backstretch as Hold On Tight (Wrenn) dictated the terms. The lead for Hold On Tight was short-lived as Shesafirewoman (Luke Hanners), parked through much of a :28.3 first quarter, was finally able to cross over entering the far turn for the first time.

Getting to the half in :58.1, Shesafirewoman braced for the challenge of a first-over Juliet Capulet (Widger) and a second-over Rodeo Dancer (Brett Miller). Juliet Capulet appeared to be gaining on the leader entering the backstretch, but at the three-quarters in 1:27, Hanners stepped on the gas, and his charge put away Juliet Capulet. Through the stretch, there was never an anxious moment as Shesafirewoman opened up by 4-1/2 lengths to win in 1:54.3. Rodeo Dancer came on late to be second and Hold On Tight finished third.

The win was the the second in three tries for Shesafirewoman, who is trained by Mark Winters and owned by Harry Horowitz. The homebred improved her career bankroll to $60,992 with the victory.

There was also a pair of $28,082 Open Handicaps on the card, one for each gait. Grantmeawish outclassed his foes in the pacing contest, winning by 4-1/2 lengths in 1:50 with Noble at the lines for trainer Michael Hitchcock and owner William Hartt. The 10-year-old Camluck stallion is six-for-21 this year. Makin Some Noise (Kurt Sugg) finished second, followed by Lake Charles (Irvine).

Caviar Gold, coming off the shelf after nearly three months, came back with a bang as he beat his trotting rivals by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:53.2. Aaron Merriman guided the six-year-old gelded son of Triumphant Caviar-Gee Okeeffe to his fourth win in 12 tries this year for Chris Beaver, who trains the horse he bred and co-owns him with Bill Manes, Leo Fleming, and Steven Zeehandelar. Rose Run Zoom (Wrenn) held off Legacy Affair (Irvine) for second.

Live racing resumes at Northfield Park on Monday at 6 p.m.

(With files from Northfield Park; photo of Lindy Dragonwater winning on July 13)