Five divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and fillies will take place Friday night (Aug. 10) at Eldorado Scioto Downs with a first race post time of 6:30 p.m.
A total of 27 pacing colts will square off in three $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions, while 20 pacing fillies will line up behind the Scioto starting gate in two $50,000 splits.
Ohio-based stallions represented include Pet Rock and the ill-fated Dragon Again, with nine foals each competing in these OSS events, while McArdle has six and Western Vintage five. Ohio sire Big Bad John has four of his progeny going postward, while Rockin Amadeus and Yankee Cruiser have three each, and Nob Hill High has two. Stallions being represented by one foal each are Allamerican Native, Art Official, Beachtrea, Believeinbruiser, The Panderosa and We Will See.
Authentic Hanover heads up the first OSS test for colts (race one), having won both previous OSS legs — the first at Scioto on July 4 in 1:53.1, and the second on July 16 at Northfield Park in 1:53.4. Dustin Arledge trains and co-owns the son of Western Vintage with Hutchison Harness and M.J. Thompson. Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Authentic Hanover has $47,944 in his coffers from three wins in four starts. He will start from post 5 with regular driver Tyler Smith in the sulky.
Looking to continue his sweep of the series as well is the Brian Brown-trained High On Paydaze, a son of Nob Hill High owned by breeder Scott Hagemeyer and partners Robert Mondillo and D.E. Robinson. This bay colt cruised to a 1:53.1 clocking at Scioto on July 4 in OSS leg one, then paced to a 1:54.2 victory in OSS leg two on July 16 at Northfield. Now three for three with $58,400 earned, High On Paydaze starts from post 2 with Chris Page aboard for the first time in the second OSS division (race three).
See You In Tuscany, also a winner of both previous OSS legs, battles in this same division. Conditioned by Jason McGinnis for Thestable Tuscany Group, the We Will See colt romped to a 1:53 effort at Scioto on July 4 and returned to score in 1:57.2 at Northfield On July 16 with Anthony MacDonald at the lines. Bred by Mark Marroletti, See You In Tuscany has lifetime earnings of $42,660 from two wins and a second in three starts, and gets the services of Dan Noble from the rail.
Kimberly Dailey will harness the striking chestnut gelding Rose Run Ulysses from post 2 in the third OSS division for pacing colts (race 11). This Western Vintage youngster, who has earned $58,400 thus far in his brief career with three wins in three starts, scored his first leg victory in 1:52.2 at Scioto on July 4 and then shipped to Northfield on July 16 to take the second leg in 1:54.4. Bred by the Rose Run Farm and owned by Dailey in partnership with Carl and Melanie Atley, Rose Run Ulysses also captured a $36,800 Ohio Fair Stake on July 28 at Scioto in 1:53.4. Dan Noble gets the nod once again.
Leg one winner Gold Digger King starts from post 7 in this same division for trainer Scott Mogan and driver Kayne Kauffman. This Pet Rock gelding, a homebred owned by Linda Van Camp, paced to a winning 1:52.4 effort in leg one at Scioto on July 4, and then finished second to High On Paydaze in leg two at Northfield on July 16. From three starts, Gold Digger King has one win and two seconds with $39,200 in his bankroll.
Carmen Ohio, a Brian Brown trainee owned by the Ohio quartet of breeder Milton Leeman, S. Manning, B. Meizlish and W. Calvert, leaves from post 5 in the first OSS division (race four) for fillies. A daughter of The Panderosa, Carmen Ohio put forth a 1:55.2 wire-to-wire effort in leg one at Scioto on July 6 before finishing second in leg two to Queen Of The Pride. A winner of $35,000 from two wins and a second in four starts, Carmen Ohio will have Ryan Stahl at the helm.
Leg two winner Sugar And Spite starts from the dreaded 10-hole in this same division for driver Tyler Smith and trainer Mary Birkhold. Bred by Midland Acres, this Pet Rock lass was third in leg one at Scioto on July 6 to Queen Of The Pride, then rebounded by scoring a 1:55.2 neck victory over rival Twinsburg on July 17 at Northfield Park. Owned by Tom Lehmann, Sugar And Spite has amassed $31,400 lifetime with that lone triumph and two thirds in four starts.
The aforementioned Queen Of The Pride is two-for-two thus far in this series for owner Frank Chick, having won leg one at Scioto on July 6 in 1:54 and leg two at Northfield on July 17 in 1:54.3. Bred by Brad Wallace, this McArdle filly is a four-for-four winner lifetime, with $80,250 in career earnings. Trained by Kevin Lare, all of Queen Of The Pride’s efforts have come in front-stepping fashion. She will start from post ten with regular driver Tony Hall at the lines in the second OSS filly division (race 10).
Rylee Roo, who won leg two at Northfield in 1:53.3, battles from post 2 in this same race with Aaron Merriman driving for trainer Steve Carter. This Pet Rock lass was never a factor in leg one, but won leg two impressively for owner-breeder Steven Price. Rylee Roo has a win and a second in three starts and $36,875 earned lifetime.
Leg one winner Lofty Beach starts from post 7 with Ryan Stahl at the controls for trainer Scott McEneny. This black daughter of Beachtrea was timed in 1:55 in that effort for Canadian owner Bradley Grant. Bred by Spring Haven Farm, Lofty Beach has $22,625 in earnings from one win and one second in four career starts.
Twinsburg won leg one in 1:54.4 for trainer Jason McGinnis and owner Brock O'Brien, and then was second by a neck to Sugar And Spite in 1:55.2. Bred by Steve Stewart and John Carver, this daughter by McArdle has $31,260 in her bank account. She will leave from post 9 in this same event with Danny Noble in the bike.
(Ohio Sires Stakes)