Five $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions were contested at Scioto Downs on Friday night, Aug. 25 with a pair of splits for three-year-old trotting fillies and a trio featuring three-year-old colt pacers.
These contests were the fourth leg in the series, which culminates on Super Night, Sept. 2 at Scioto, with $250,000 Championships for two and three-year-olds of both genders and gaits.
Lightning Onmyfeet captured the first OHSS pacing division in 1:51.3 for driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr., as the 4-5 favourite, obliterating his rivals by more than seven lengths. Brian Brown trains the son of McArdle, who is owned by the Erv Miller Stable, Donald Robinson, J&T Silva and Stable 45.
Josh Sutton drove 8-1 Three Card to finish second, while 22-1 longshot Norm At Work was third for Kayne Kauffman.
Lightning Onmyfeet was second in the second OHSS leg on June 10 at Scioto and third in Leg 3 on July 1 at Northfield. Purchased for $45,000 at the Ohio Select Yearling Sale, Lightning Onmyfeet upped his career earnings to $94,930 from six wins, one second and three thirds in 15 starts.
He is the sixth foal out of the Western Hanover mare Western Top Cat p,3, 1;54.4 ($29,687) and is a half-brother to: Revenge Shark (by Cams Card Shark) p,3, 1:50.2 ($425,107); Doing Some Damage (by Cole Muffler) p,5, 1:54.1f ($155,932); Top Official (by Art Official) p,5, 1:56.2f ($44,562); and Gotmyredressontnit (by Roll With Joe) p,2, 1:54.4h ($43.653).
Driver Josh Sutton was in the sulky behind the next two pacing division winners. First, he drove Big Bad Arcster in a gate-to-wire effort to stop the timer in a new lifetime clocking of 1:52.2 for trainer Dustin Arledge and owner Mary J. Thompson of Orient, Ohio.
The bay Big Bad John gelding finished one and three-quarter lengths ahead of 3-2 rival Gotta Go B B (Danny Noble), with 7-1 Sunnys Bro (Greg Grismore) notching third.
Bred by Joel J. Miller, Big Bad Arcster sold for $6,500 at the Ohio Selected Yearling sale last fall and upped his career earnings to $52,212 from seven wins, three seconds and five thirds in 27 starts. He is the second of three foals out of the Camluck mare Andromeda p, 4, 1:52.1s ($123,794).
Next, Sutton piloted Scotch McEwan to a 1:51 lifetime best mark in the third OHSS pacing division. The son of McArdle also enjoyed a front-stepping trip that saw him three-quarters ahead of stablemates 9-1 McThriller (Chris Page) and 4-1 Barnabas (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) at the wire. Both are conditioned by Brian Brown.
The robust bay gelding was bred by Rebecca Ewing and sold for $30,000 at the Ohio Select Sale last fall to Carl Atley of Xenia, Ohio. Scotch McEwan is the first foal out of the Stand Forever mare Forever Ivy, p,5, 1:50.3f ($355,291).
In the pacing divisions, eight were by the stallion McArdle, while seven were sired by Big Bad John, three by Art Officials and two by Woodstock. The stallions Arts Chip, Charley Barley, Foreclosure N, The Panderosa and World Of Rocknroll were all represented by one progeny each.
As well, in the first pacing division, the first two finishers were by McArdle and in the fourth pacing division the first three finishers were by McArdle, while in the third division, the first three finishers were sired by Big Bad John.
Rose Run Sydney trotted to victory for driver Jason Brewer and Steve Carter, timed in 1:56.2 in a come-from-behind effort. The brown daughter by Triumphant Caviar is co-owned by Carter in partnership with Adam Friedland of Brooklyn, New York and Rbr Racing of Ashland, Ohio.
Kayne Kauffman drove 50-1 longshot Simona Dream up for second-place honours, while 48-1 Monee Bank was third for Randy Tharps.
Rose Run Sydney won OHSS Leg 1 on May 1 at Miami Valley Raceway in 1:58.1, then captured Leg 2 on June 17 at Northfield in 1:55.3 and was second by a nose on July 14 at Scioto Downs. She rebounded a few weeks later to captured a $51,650 Ohio Fair Stake at Scioto in 1:56.4.
Rose Run Sydney now has $212,892 in career earnings from 13 wins, five seconds and two thirds in 21 lifetime trips postward. Bred by the Roes Run Farm, she garnered a $10,000 price tag at the 2016 Ohio Select Yearling Sale.
She is the fifth foal out of the Angus Hall mare Stonebridge Dancer 3, 1:57.3f ($34,902) and is a full sister to Rose Run Ida 2, 2:01f ($14,770) and a half-sister to Magic Dancing 3, 1:59.3f ($52,664); Magic Hat 4, Q, 1:57.3s ($38,951) and Whitegloves 4, 1:57s ($33,145) — all by Kadabra.
Purple Sona trotted solidly for Kurt Sugg to notch her fourth win of the season and sixth win lifetime in a front-end 1:57.2 effort.
Conditioned by Marty Wollam, the bay daughter of Dejarmbro took the lead at the start and never looked back, upping her career earnings to $125,898 for owners Acadia Farm of Canfield, Ohio, Dale Sweet of Toledo, Ohio, and G&B Racing of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania
Vatanna was three-quarters of length back in second with Kayne Kauffman in the bike at 7-1 odds, while 3-5 Beautiful and Danny Noble were third.
The big burly filly was bred by the Double Spring Farm and sold for $30,000 at the Ohio Select Yearling Sale last fall. She is the first and most prolific foal out of the unraced Donato Hanover mare Sonalona Hanover.
In the two trotting divisions, the stallion Dejarmbro was represented by seven starters, while Triumphant Caviar had four of his youngsters competing. The sires Break The Bank K and And Away We Go each had two of their progeny racing in OHSS events, while Iron Duke had one.
Ohio Sires Stakes continue at Northfield Park on Saturday, Aug. 26 with three-year-old trotting colts and three-year-old pacing fillies in fourth round action.
(With files from OSDF)