Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi’s Looksgoodinaromper established a new world record of 1:52.3 for two-year-old pacing fillies on a half-mile track via her victory in one of two $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes at Northfield Park on Friday night, Aug. 9.
Piloted by Chris Page for trainer Ron Burke, the freshman daughter of Pet Rock simply cruised in wire-to-wire fashion through panels of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:24.2 en route to her second career victory in four lifetime starts, upping her earnings to $66,300.
Sent off at odds of 1-2, Looksgoodinaromper was 8-¼ lengths in front of 35-1 longshot Sara Jane (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) at the wire, while 14-1 PJs Legacy (Kayne Kauffman) got up for third.
Bred by Robert and Barbara Bongiorno, Looksgoodinaromper’s record eclipsed the old mark set by Riley Roo of 1:53.2 in a 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes event. This speedy bay filly had finished third in OSS Leg One on July 3 at Northfield and second by a nose to Artful Dancer on July 19 at Scioto Downs, clocked in 1:52.2. Looksgoodinaromper is the first foal out of the Village Connection mare Dont Blame Her p, 10, 1:51.2s ($830,555).
McMarkle Sparkle did not disappoint her connections, capturing the other OHSS contested for two-year-old pacing fillies handily in 1:53.3 for driver Brett Miller and trainer Jim Arledge, Jr. The McArdle lass, who now has $68,050 for owners Laura and Paul Baker of Galloway, Ohio, also used gate-to-wire tactics to nab her second OHSS contest. This sturdy-build homebred had captured Leg One on July 5 at Northfield in 1:54.3 before finishing second in Leg Two on July 19 at Scioto Downs, timed in 1:53.
McMarkle Sparkle, the even-money favourite, finished a full 7-½ lengths ahead of 4-1 Rockmatic (Tony Hall) with 15-1 Shesrockingwichita (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) nabbing third-place honours.
McMarkle Sparkle is the seventh foal out of the Towners Big Guy broodmare Ts Ladies Nite p, 3, 1:51s ($56,535) and is a half-sister to Alwaysagoodthing p, 4, 1:52.3f ($98,525) and Its a Deal p, 4, 1:57.2h ($21,429), both by Metropolitan.
Trainer Ron Burke also harnessed Its Academic to win the first of three $40,000 divisions for freshman trotting colts and geldings. The son of Uncle Peter trotted to a commanding 1:58 effort with Chris Page at the lines, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of favourite Action Uncle (Brett Miller) with 11-1 Dream Creation (Kurt Sugg) finishing third.
Its Academic won Leg One in 1:58.4 and Leg Two in 1:57.3 for owners Burke Racing, Bill Donovan, Joe Sbrocco and Hatfield Stables. He has $68,400 in lifetime earnings from four wins in five lifetime starts is the first foal out of the Muscle Hill mare Annapolis 3, 1:55 ($49,594).
Exhibit Class had taken the first OHSS trotting division in a front-stepping 1:57.2 with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., at the lines for trainer Sean Smithpeters and owner Marion Beachy. The son of Triumphant Caviar had won Leg One in 1:58.1 and now has $58,458 in career earnings. He finished six lengths in front of Breakout The Gold (Tyler Smith) with Doubleyellowline (Danny Noble) third. Exhibit Class is the third and most prolific foal out of the Classic Photo mare Classic Blaze 5, 1:55.3 ($27,185).
Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., was back in the winner’s circle for the final OHSS contest for freshman trotting colts with 6-1 Attache, using a well-timed, inside move up the rail to prevail by a nose at the wire over 3-1 Hearcomescharlie B (Ryan Stahl) in 1:57.3. Big Box Hanover was third for driver Danny Noble.
The son of Broadway Hall is owned by trainer Chris Beaver, Mary McLoughlin, Steve Carter and Steven Zeehandelar and is out of the American Winner mare Patti Page. Attache now has $41,250 in career earnings and is a half-brother to 2019 Ohio Sires Stakes winner Pattis Main Man (by Manofmanymissions) 3, 1:55.1f ($119,511) and also to Get Chipped (by Chip Chip Hooray) 6, 1:54.3 ($415,424) and to Express Justice (by Justice Hall) 5, 1:54.3f ($282,311), etc.
(OSDF)