The resurgent Maryland Sire Stakes returns for its annual trek to the eastern shore of Maryland with the kickoff of the stake program and four and five-year-old trotters taking the spotlight at Ocean Downs this Sunday.

With $61, 500 up for grabs, it the first year an older stake program has been implemented in Maryland as an incentive to breeders and owners alike to keep breeding and buying Maryland racehorses.

“Our MD advisory board thought it was a great idea to help owners, trainers and breeders with an older stakes program which would insure racing opportunities for older horses”, said MD stakes fund administrator Cheri Stambaugh.

“It has been a rough patch in the past few years but now with more stallions and mares breeding in the state thanks to out lucrative stakes program. This year will see us race for over $1.8 million in stakes money at Ocean Downs”.

One division of four and five year old trotters will go to post at 6:50 p.m. headed by the four-year-old horse Perfect Tententen. He will be joined by Brissot and Mycology and race for a purse of $30,300.

A compact field of four horses and gelding will race next for a purse of $15,400 with Richard Hans’ Firecracker Freddy leading the way. Joining him to the post will be Evergreen Power, Yippi Ki Yeah and Hotspeed.

The third and final division of four- and five-year-olds will be raced as part of the ten-race pari-mutuel card as the mares take center stage racing for $15,800. Sire stake champion Bonnie Ben Jamin, a four-year-old daughter of Cams Rocket and a winner of $162,862 lifetime is the one to beat.

Owned in Westminster, MD by Brian Emerson and conditioned by Judy Welty, the side-wheeling mare will face seven foes in the sixth race of the evening.

Also on tap that night will be a ‘meet and greet the drivers’ autograph session which will feature long time Ocean Downs reinsman Ray Robinson, Jr. The interview gets under at 6:30 p.m. at the winner’s circle.

Post time for the first of ten pari-mutuel races is scheduled for 7:20 p.m.

(Ocean Downs)