Five Ohio Sires Stakes proved as hot as the weather on Friday night, with impressive performances and a new track record in the books at Scioto Downs.
A trio of $40,000 contests for two-year-old pacing fillies and two $50,000 trials for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings were held as temperatures continued to stagger in the low 90s.
The Steve Carter-trained Artful Dancer gave notice as she prevailed for Aaron Merriman in a new track record clocking of 1:52.2 in the second OSS division for freshmen filly pacers.
“This was the first time I’d driven her,” Merriman admitted. “Steve (trainer Carter) had given me some insight into her personality, and she was easy to drive and just took off on her own when challenged by another horse.”
Owned by Jay Mossbarger, Tammy Carter, Richard Lombardo and Josh Green, the daughter by Yankee Cruiser had won OSS Leg one in 1:55.2. In this leg, she took the lead as the 5-2 choice at the three-quarters and held off a hard trying 3-1 Looksgoodinaromper (Chris Page) by a nose at the wire, with 3-2 favourite Mcmarkle Sparkle (Brett Miller) third, three lengths back.
Artful Dancer now has $41,200 in career earnings. Bred by Midland Acres and D & CC Drake, she is the first foal out of the Sportsmaster mare Dancin carol p, 2, Q1:55.1.f ($81,646).
Aaron was back in the sulky behind Beautiful Beach in the third OSS contest for two-year-old pacing fillies, steering the We Will See lass to a wire-to-wire 1:53.4 clocking for trainer Tyler George. Bred by Spring Haven Farm and Doug Millard and owned by Tom Lehmann, of Sarasota, Florida, it was the first career win for Beautiful Beach, who was the 1-5 favourite.
This hardy pacing filly finished a length ahead of 7-1 Odds On Athens (Peter Wrenn), while 9-2 Hoochie Girl got up for third for driver Chris Lems. She is the fifth foal out of the Yankee Cruiser mare Beach Resort p, 3, 1:57.3F ($69,374) and is a half-sister to Big Bad Beach p, 4, 1:54.2 ($41,191) and Jimbobwayne p, 2, 1:54.1f ($38,577)—both sired by Big Bad John.
Ellagator and driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., took the first OSS division with a gruelling, first-over journey in 1:55 as the 1-9 favourite, hanging on by a neck over 19-1 Corner Pocket (Danny Noble), nearly five lengths in front of third-place finisher 14-1 Arya Again (Ryan Stahl).
The Western Vintage distaff is trained by Chris McGuire for owner Howard Taylor of Philadelphia, PA.
“She’s done everything we’ve asked her to do,” McGuire said. “I was hoping she’d get to the front tonight a little easier than she did, but either way, she handles whatever you throw at her and is a pretty special horse.”
Ellagator had won OSS Leg one in 1:54 at Northfield Park on July 5. She was a $24,000 yearling purchase at the 2018 Lexington Select Sale and is the first foal out of the unraced broodmare Dame Truth, by Total Truth and was bred by Nancy Johansson of New Jersey.
In the first of the two $50,000 trotting divisions, Pattis Main Man went an absolutely huge mile for driver Jeremy Smith. Leaving the gate at odds of 26-1, the son of Manofmanymissions pulled first up before the half and simply ate up ground until he nabbed the lead in mid-stretch for his 1:56.3 triumph.
Owned by trainer Michael D. Sowers of McArthur, Ohio, Pattis Main Man returned $54.80 on a two dollar win ticket, and was 1-1/4 lengths better than second-place finisher 2-1 Homer Hall (Brett Miller), while 7-1 Voyage To Paris (Kayne Kauffman) did well to be third.
Bred by Midland Acres, Pattis Main Man is the 14th foal out of the American Winner mare Patti Page and is a half-brother to Get Chipped (by Chip Chip Hooray) 6, 1:54.3 ($415,424); Express Justice (by Justice Hall) 5, 1;54.3f ($282,311); and to the two-year-old Attache (by Broadway Hall) who has earned $20,000 from two second-place finishes in OSS legs one and two thus far this year.
Lane Of Stone took the second OSS division, trotting commandingly to a 1:54 clocking with driver Jeff Nisonger at the lines. Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, the son of Wishing Stone—who was exported to Denmark earlier this season—used an impressive, front-stepping effort to score this latest triumph by 5-1/2 lengths over 12-1 ELO Hanover (Brett Miller), with 70-1 Cash Hit (Chris Lems) trotting evenly to nab third-place money.
Lane Of Stone captured his OSS Leg One easily in 1:53.1, but was a disappointing sixth in Leg Two. Mark Winters, Sr., conditions this hardy youngster for owner/breeder Harry Horowitz of Brooklyn, New York. This modestly-built trotter has a powerful stride and an engine that never seems to quit. This latest triumph upped his career earnings to $233,393.
Lane Of Stone is the fourth foal out of the Lindy Lane mare Wisteria Lane 4, 1:57.3M ($18,559) and has half-siblings in: Why Argue (by SJs Caviar) 2, 1:59s ($32,353) and Laney Hall (by Angus Hall) 2, 1:59f ($29,220).
(OSDFA)