A quartet of $50,000 fourth-leg Ohio Sires Stakes divisions on Saturday (August 15) at Northfield Park will determine the championship fields for Super Night, which is scheduled for September 5 at Scioto Downs.
Thirteen sophomore trotting colts will line up behind the Northfield Park starting gate, while two six-horse fields of three-year-old pacing fillies will vie in the fourth round of the sires stakes series.
In the first division (Race One), Doubleyellowline appears to be the one to beat, and is scheduled to start from Post 2 with Danny Noble driving for trainer Bob Stewart and owners Norman Rae Racing and Deborah Noble of Xenia, Ohio. The gelded son of Uncle Peter has finished third twice in two previous sires stakes legs and owns a mark of 1:53.3 which was taken in a Scioto overnight. Bred by Franklin Farms, Doubleyellowline has $72,896 in career earnings and is the second foal out of the unraced Glidemaster mare Lady Glider, with a half-sister in Shezajarm (by Dejarmbro) 2, 2:15h ($13,786). Doubleyellowline currently sits sixth in the sires stakes standings.
The second division (Race 11) bares watching, as it will pit the undefeated Action Uncle (Post 1, Brett Miller) against two-time sires stakes winner Yanks Dugout (Post 4, Kurt Sugg). The former is a son of Uncle Peter who has swept all three legs of this sires stakes division, and currently sits atop the sires stakes standings for owners Carl Howard, Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills. Trained by Virgil Morgan Jr., Action Uncle has amassed $367,075 in career earnings. He is the first foal out of the Broadway Hall mare Action-Broadway 5, 1:52.3 ($1,102,073).
The latter is a son of Triumpant Caviar, out of the Muscles Yankee mare Yansky who is trained by Edward Miller and has earned $89,973 for owners Ivan and Duke Sugg. Yanks Dugout, who is second in the sires stakes standings in this division, is the fourth foal out of his dam Yansky 3, 1:57f ($122,127) with half-siblings in Yanks Ball Girl (by Majestic Son) 4, 1:57f ($60,722) and Fashion Can Do It (by Cantab Hall) 3, 1:58.1f ($30,030).
Twelve sophomore pacing fillies will vie in two divisions.
In the first division (Race 2), two-time sires stakes winner and divisional leader PJs Legacy will start from Post 5 with Ryan Stahl handling the lines for trainer Brian Brown. The daughter of Big Bad John captured sires stakes leg one in 1:52, with a 1:51.3 score at Northfield in Leg Two. The winner of $180,923 lifetime is owned by Jennifer Brown, Hutchison Harness, J. Ridder and M. Kantrowitz. Bred by Walter S. Fister of Kentucky, PJs Legacy is out of the Jennas Beach Boy mare Walstans Lady p, 3, Q1:54.4f ($29,317).
Also vying in this same division is McMarkle Sparkle (fourth in the standings), an sires stakes Leg One winner in 1:50.1 for trainer Jim Arledge Jr. and owners Laura and Paul Baker, along with Shirley Levin’s Penpaperpaige (third in the standings) who captured sires stakes Leg Two in 1:53.2 for trainer Jeff Smith.
The standout in the second sires stakes division (Race 3) for sophmore pacing fillies is Artful Dancer, who will start from Post 4 with Danny Noble driving for trainer Steve Carter. The Yankee Cruiser lass captured sires stakes Leg Two in 1:52 for owners T. Carter, J. Mossbarger, Rich Lombardo and Josh Green, and owns a bank account of $201,588. Bred by Midland Acres, D and CC Drake, Artful Dancer is the first foal out of the Sportswriter mare Dancin Caroll 2, Q1:55.1f ($81,646).
(With files from the OSDF)