The 2016 Ohio Sires Stakes program revealed a healthy upswing in nominations, starters and divisions, with Ohio-sired trotters and pacers racing for $8.19 million this year compared with $5.8 million in 2015, an increase of 41 per cent.

Participation in OHSS events increased 49 per cent in 2016, with 1,339 Ohio-breds vying in the two and three-year-old divisions, compared with 894 starters in 2015.

In the OHSS freshman ranks, 802 neophyte trotters and pacers lined up behind the starting gate in 2016, a 35 per cent increase when compared with 593 starters in 2015.

Among the OHSS two-year-old contestants in 2016, the greatest increase (56 per cent) was seen in the colt pacing division, which had 178 starters in 2015 compared with 277 in 2016. The freshman fillies saw an increase of 43 per cent in 2016, up 215 starters from 151 in 2015. The two-year-old trotting fillies jumped 29 per cent in participation – from 125 starters in 2015 to 161 starters in 2016 – while the freshman trotting colts saw just a seven per cent increase from 2015 (139 starters) to 2016 (149 starters).

In the sophomore divisions, 2016 numbers increased by 78 per cent over last year, with 537 starters this season, compared to 301 in 2015.

The three-year-old colt pacing division saw the greatest spike in starters – from 68 in 2015 to 141 in 2016, a 108 per cent increase. Likewise, the sophomore pacing fillies increased to 151 starters in 2016, up 101 per cent from 2015 with 75 contestants. The three-year-old trotting colts had 63 starters in 2015 which increased by 105 per cent to 129 in 2016, while the sophomore trotting fillies increased their numbers by 23 per cent – up to 116 starters in 2016 from 95 in 2015.

OHSS older divisions – contested for the second time since 2009 – were stagnant in 2016, with 25 programmed starters, necessitating three divisions (trot, mare trot, and pace). The mare pace division did not race due to lack of entries.

A total of 80 drivers and 194 trainers participated in OHSS contests in 2016, with Chris Page at the top of the helm – besting 14 talented reinsmen who garnered $100,000 or more in OHSS tests – and being awarding the 2016 Jerry Kaltenbach Memorial Trophy. It is the second crown for Page, who captured the title in 2014.

The 33-year-old Page amassed $1,482,300 from 127 OHSS starts, with 40 wins, 14 seconds and 20 thirds in OHSS action. As of Nov. 1, Page has amassed $5,421,648 overall from 499 winners, 330 second-place finishers and 324 third-place honourees, from 2,689 starts, for a UDR of .294, and currently sits in fifth place nationally in wins and 13th in earnings for the season.

Josh Sutton took the bridesmaid role among OHSS drivers with 18 wins, eight seconds and 12 thirds from 92 starts, steering earners of $986,800. Ronnie Wrenn Jr., who captured the 2015 Kaltenbach trophy, finished third with stats of 21-22-16 from 130 OHSS starters who earned $935,500. Peter Wrenn finished in fourth with $692,500 in earnings from 10 wins, 13 seconds and 10 thirds in 89 starts, while North America’s leading driver, Aaron Merriman, finished fifth with a 15-13-17 record from 99 trips postward and $686,100 earned in OHSS contests.

In the training ranks, conditioner Jim ‘Bill’ Dailey grabbed the Kaltenbach trophy for the fourth time in his career, amassing $908,300 in earnings from 71 starters, with 17 wins, 17 seconds and nine thirds in 2016 OHSS action. Dailey nabbed the coveted award previously in 2008, 2009 and 2013.

Trainer Brian Brown took second-place honours for the second straight year, with 25 winners and $833,500 in OHSS earnings, while Chris Beaver snagged third for the second straight year as well with 16 triumphs and $667,400. Finishing fourth in the Kaltenbach standings was Ron Burke, who conditioned nine Ohio-breds to finish first in OHSS competition, earning $355,200, while Jim Arledge Jr. garnered fifth place with $312,900 from five OHSS victories.

Seventeen trainers conditioned Ohio-bred trotters and pacers to earn $100,000 or more in 2016 OHSS tests, while nine horsemen saw their charges earn $200,000 or better, with five conditioners’ horses earning $300,000 or more.

In the 29 years the Kaltenbachs have been awarded, David Miller leads all drivers with seven trophies. In the training ranks, Virgil Morgan Jr. has captured the title six times. Only two horsemen have won the Kaltenbachs in both the training and driving categories – Sam ‘Chip’ Noble III and Dave Rankin.

The Jerry Kaltenbach Memorial trophies were established in 1988 – named in honour of one of the Ohio Sires Stakes founding fathers – and are awarded annually to the driver and trainer who have earned the most dollars competing in OHSS events.

(Ohio Standardbred Development Fund)