Nominations hit record levels for Ohio-sired stakes events scheduled in 2021.
Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association executive director Renee Mancino thanked all racing horsemen for their show of support:
“The outstanding opportunities provided by all the Ohio stakes series and strong support for the program in the midst of the pandemic are a testament to the spirit and optimism of our harness racing horsemen,” said Mancino.
Nominations for the top tiered Ohio Sires Stakes program increased by 15 per cent.
Nominations for the 2021 Buckeye Stallion Series hit a record number for 2021, as 1,600 horses have been nominated for the Ohio-bred series in only its fifth year of existence. The increase represents an 18 per cent jump over 2020. The largest increase was in the two-year-old class, as the number of nominations topped 1,000 for the first time ever.
The first leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series is scheduled for April 30 and May 1 at Miami Valley Raceway.
Nominations for the Ohio Fair Championships also set an all-time high with over 1,100 horses nominated, representing a 16 per cent increase from 2020.
The largest percentage jump was in the Ohio Fair Racing Conference. The number of nominations increased by almost 25 per cent. The number of three-year-old colt pacers nominated almost doubled from 2020 to 2021.
Ohio’s three other racing circuits — the Home Talent Colt Stakes, Ohio Colt Racing Association and the Southern Valley Colt Circuit — also saw increases.
The Home Talent Colt Stakes had over 800 horses nominated an increase of 13 per cent from last year, while the OCRA is up almost 6 per cent with over 900 horses nominated. The Southern Valley Colt Circuit’s nominations for 2021 are up about 2 per cent.
(Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)