Five fields of fillies provided Northfield Park harness racing fans with sizzling miles, including a new track and world record clocking of 1:51.4 by Summer Touch, the 1-5 favourite in the first of two $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies on a lovely August 7 evening.
Summer Touch, a Ronnie Burke-trained daughter of Well Said-Real Touch-Real Desire, was given a perfect steer by Chris Page as she won her second OHSS contest, having captured a Leg 2 division on July 24 at Scioto Downs in 1:54.2. This homebred is owned by Burke Racing, Knox Services, Slaughter Racing and Weaver Bruscemi. Rainy Day Chic, a 20-1 longshot, was second for Brett Miller, followed by 45-1 longshot She Knows It All (Ryan Stahl) in third. The former two-year-old pacing filly world record for a half-mile track was 1:52.3, set by Looksgoodinaromper on Aug. 9, 2019 at Northfield Park.
Burke harnessed another filly — this one a trotter — to another track record performance as Merry Ann trotted to a 1:56 clocking in the first of three $40,000 OHSS events. The 1-9 favourite used a front-stepping performance with Chris Page in the sulky for owners Burke Racing, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi as she notched her third win in five tries. This homebred daughter by Southwind Spirit-Witty Girl-SJs Photo was also a Leg 2 winner in 1:57.4. Imalovelylady was second at 11-1 for Anthony MacDonald while 10-1 Ozma got up for third with Aaron Merriman doing the driving.
Burke continued his dominance as his Pinknperfect won the second $50,000 OHSS for two-year-old pacing fillies in 1:52.4, holding off a pair of determined rivals at the wire. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. steered the 7-1 daughter by Well Said out of the Pine Valley mare Pink Camo for Burke Racing, Steven Jefferis, Johnny Smith and Weaver Bruscemi as she captured her first OHSS contest. Bred by Rtk Racing, Pinknperfect upped her career earnings to $37,500. Leave Her Wild was second for Mike Wilder at 3-1 while 9-5 Gucci was a close third for Aaron Merriman.
My Jazz cruised to a front-end victory for driver Anthony MacDonald and trainer Jason McGinnis in 1:57.1, a new lifetime mark, in the second OHSS division for two-year-old trotting fillies. The daughter of My MVP out of the Incredible Abe mare Loving Jazz left the gate at 3-1 odds, besting 45-1 rival I Am Winning (Brett Miller) easily and 10-1 Fiesty Pistol (Aaron Merriman) in late stretch. My Jazz, who was bred by Jake Wickey Jr., had finished third in Leg 1 and fifth in Leg 2 of this series.
Undefeated Herculisa earned her third OHSS trotting title handily, looking much the best for driver Brett Miller as the 1-5 favourite and stopping the clock in 1:56.1. The daughter of My MVP out of the Andover Hall mare Herculotte Hanover is owned by the Jesmeral Stable and trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. She was a winner in both previous OHSS legs, in 1:58.1 and 1:56.2, and pushed her career earnings to $61,812 with this latest triumph. Herculisa was bred by Billy Walters, Joe McLead and Up Front Racing. Celebrate With Me (Kurt Sugg) was second-best at 5-1 with 20-1 Ciao Baby Hall getting up for third with Aaron Merriman at the lines.
(With files from Ohio Standardbred Development Fund)