State-bred competition filled the Sunday (Sept. 6) card at Scioto Downs with each division of two- and three-year-old competing against their respective sex and gait in $300,000 finals of the Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS).
Merry Ann, the 8-5 favourite, captured the OHSS Championship for two-year-old trotting fillies with a front-stepping 1:57 effort for driver Chris Page and trainer Ron Burke. The daughter of Southwind Spirit-Witty Girl-SJs Photo held off the late charging Celebrate With Me while 28-1 My Jazz was third. Bred by Knox Services, Merry Ann is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi. Merry Ann now has $245,200 in career earnings.
Summer Touch, the 1-5 favourite, continued her win streak by taking her fifth-straight win in the Two-Year-Old Filly Pace in 1:52.3. The homebred daughter of Well Said-Real Touch-Real Desire is trained by Ronnie Burke for Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Slaughter Racing and Weaver Bruscemi and was driven by Chris Page. Rainy Day Chic was second for Brett Miller with Leave Her Wild third with Mike Wilder driving. The victory uppsed Summer Touch’s lifetime bankroll to $255,000.
Driver Tyler Smith piloted 12-1 Penpaperpaige to an upset victory over 7-5 Artful Dancer in the $300,000 OHSS for three-year-old pacing fillies in a career mark of 1:52.1. The daughter of Pet Rock-Park Lane Paige-Art Major is owned and was bred by Shirley LeVin of Barrington Hills, IL and is conditioned by Jeff Smith. Rockngo BB was a strong third at 48-1 odds. The win pushed Penpaperpaige’s career earning to $273,026.
Trainer Chris Beaver harnessed 6-1 Perron to capture the $300,000 OHSS Championship for two-year-old trotting colts, as well as the third-place finisher Tango With Me and 14-1 fourth-place finisher Panzano. Street Gossip was second at 9-1 for driver Brett Miller. The winning time of 1:58 was a career best for the brown homebred colt by My MVP-Long Island Tea-Credit Winner and pushed his lifetime earnings to $198,300 for owners Steve Stewart, D. Wright, G. Wilcoxen and K. Doherty. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. sat in the sulky.
Even-money favourite Guinevere Hall kept her unblemished seasonal record intact by capturing the $300,000 OHSS Championship for three-year-old trotting fillies. The daughter of Cash Hall-Garbo Hill-Lindy Lane stopped the clock in 1:53.1—just a tick off the track record for driver Peter Wrenn and trainer Melanie Wrenn. Guinevere Hall—who was bred by Alan Leavitt and is owned by the M T Pockets Stables & David McDuffee—now has $415,081 in her career coffers. She is seven for seven this year with 10 wins in 17 starts. A Fancy Face was second at 8-5 for Chris Page while 23-1 Robin Banks got up for third with Kurt Sugg driving.
Charlie May, the 9-5 choice, bested 3-5 rival Heart Of Chewbacca in late stretch to prevail in the $300,0000 OHSS Championship for two-year-old pacing colts. His time of 1:50.2 was a new track record and a national season’s record for freshmen pacing geldings on a five-eights mile track. Driven by Brett Miller for trainer Steve Carter, the altered brown son of McArdle-Stipple Hanover-Western Hanover notched his fifth win in seven starts for breeder-owner Don Tiger of Cannonsburg, PA. Laughagain Hanover was third for David Miller at 8-1 odds. Charlie May now has $295,181 in lifetime earnings and has five wins in seven career starts.
Brett Miller gave 1-5 Action Uncle a perfect steer to capture the $300,000 OHSS Championship for three-year-old trotting colts in 1:53. Trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr., the son of Uncle Peter-Action-Broadway-Broadway Hall picked up his seventh win of the year for Carl Howard, Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills. Bred by Kenneth Sommer, Action Uncle upped his career earnings to $545,825, with his 10th victory in 14 starts. Wading Boots, at 14-1, was second for David Miller while 7-2 Its Academic got up for third with Chris Page in the bike.
Sandra Burnett’s homebred Ocean Rock, the 1-5 favourite, demolished his rivals in the $300,000 OHH Championship for three-year-old pacing colts, stopping the timer in a blistering 1:49.4. Danny Noble was in the sulky behind the gelded son of Rockin Amadeus-Ocean Pearl-On The Attack for trainer Christi Noble as he captured his 10th win overall and his fifth this season. Elver Hanover (5-1) with Chris Page was second and 55-1 Gray Dragon was third for Brett Miller. Ocean Rock now has $495,677 in his career bank account.
A pair of $100,000 Invitational Paces also went on the Super Night card. Driver Andrew McCarthy and Brassy Hanover rode the pocket behind Little Rocket Man to win the first division for trainer Jeff Cullipher at odds of 7-1 in 1:48.3, beating the track record for four-year-old pacing geldings. Workin Ona Mystery romped as the 3-5 favourite in the other division, also winning in 1:48.3, in rein to Tim Tetrick for trainer Brian Brown.
OHSS Veteran Championships for four-year-olds and up will be held on Friday, Oct. 16 at Dayton Raceway and OHSS consolations for two- & three-year-olds will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Northfield Park.
(Ohio Sires Stakes)