Celebrate With Me captured the first of three $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies in the final leg of the four-leg series, on August 21 at Scioto Downs.
The daughter of Full Count-Glisten Hanover-Andover Hall scored the victory in a career-best 1:56.2 with Kurt Sugg driving for trainer and owner Marty Wollam and Toni Dean. The victory pushed Celebrate With Me’s bankroll to $78,622. Bred by Marvin Raber, this coal black filly also took Leg 2 in 1:56.4, and she was the 3-5 favourite in this fourth leg. Katies Lucky Day was second at 21-1 for Trevor Smith, while 7-1 Imalovelylady was third with Anthony MacDonald at the controls.
Herculisa cruised to a new track record and lifetime mark of 1:55.1 in the second OHSS contest for two-year-old trotting fillies in a front-stepping performance with Brett Miller at the lines. Bred by Joe McLead, Billy Walters and Up Front Racing, the My MVP-Herculotte Hanover-Andover Hall lass notched her fifth straight triumph in as many career starts as the 1-9 favourite and upped her earnings to $81,812 for the Jesmeral Stable of Scarsdale, New York. Ciao Baby Hall was brought up for second at 11-1 by Aaron Merriman while 21-1 Rose Run Whitney was third for Chris Page.
Favourite Merry Ann, at 1-9, picked up the final OHSS contest easily with a front-end 1:58 victory. Steered by Chris Page for trainer Ronnie Burke and owners Burke Racing, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi, the daughter of Southwind Spirit-Witty Girl-SJs Photo notched her fourth win of the year in six starts and now has career earnings of $95,200. This homebred finished well in front of 48-1 longshot Incomeorexpenses (Tyler Smith) with 6-1 My Jazz (Anthony MacDonald) third.
Winning Ticket captured his second OHSS leg (he won Leg 2 in 1:57.1) by taking the first of two $50,000 divisions for freshman male trotters in a new lifetime and track record clocking of 1:55.3 with driver Aaron Merriman aboard. The son of Triumphant Caviar-Lotto Winner-Credit Winner is trained by Chris Beaver, who co-owns with Steve Zeehandelar, Tim Homan and Jim Burnett. This triumph was his third in five starts and pushed his career earnings to $65,000. Winning Ticket left the gate as the 1-2 favourite, followed by 9-2 Triple M Storm (Dan Noble) and 8-1 Panzano (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.).
Street Gossip captured the second OHSS division for freshman trotting colts in 1:58.1 with Brett Miller at the lines. Virgil Morgan Jr. conditions the son of Cash Hall-The Young Princess-Yankee Glide for owners Carl Howard and the Jesmeral Stable. Street Gossip, who was bred by Morrisville College, now has $69,714 in career earnings from his three wins in six starts. This bay gelding left the gate as the even-money favourite and bested rivals 6-5 Replica Hanover (Tyler Smith) and 10-1 third-place finisher Rose Run Wilson (Mike Wilder).
(With files from Ohio Standardbred Development Fund)