The 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes season commences this weekend with events for 3-year-old trotters and pacers of both genders at Miami Valley Raceway on May 4 & 6. Sophomore fillies are in the spotlight Friday night, with two $50,000 trotting and four $40,000 pacing divisons.  Miami Valley Racing Secretary Gregg Keidel found 17 trotting and 32 pacing OSS eligibles in his entry box earlier this week for Leg One of the four-leg OSS series. Returning is last year’s freshman standout Looking For Zelda, a multiple OSS winner in 2017, who comes into her division (Race 3) fresh off a 1:55 2/5 victory in the $50,000 Scarlet & Gray on April 27.  The daughter by Break The Bank K, who was bred and is owned by Bob Key of Leechburg, PA, has been conditioned throughout her career by Norm Parker, and sports a hefty $253,675 bankroll.  “Zelda had a good winter,” confirmed Parker, from his training base at The Meadows. “She came back strong and is the kind of the same horse, just a little bit more mature.  The (EHV-1) quarantine slowed us up a bit, but it actually helped, as it gave me a little more time to get her ready.” Looking For Zelda is an eight-time winner in 12 career starts, and will start from post nine with regular pilot Tony Hall at the controls. Impinktoo, who captured the $250,000 OSS Championship for her division in 2017 in a mild upset in 1:57, returns to battle in the first OSS divisioin (Race 2).  The Manofmanymissions distaff has earned $173,290 in her career, with a trio of wins in 12 starts for Ohio partners Joe McLead, Billy Walters and Rtk Racing, under the watchful eye of trainer Jim Dailey. Ohio’s trotting guru Chris Beaver sends out three contestants in this first OSS leg, including Sandra Burnett’s Red Storm in the first division (Race 2).  This Storming Normand homebred captured both the $15,000 elim and $40,000 Hackett Final on April 9 & 16 respectively, upping her career earnings to $149,975, before finishing a close second to the aforementioned Looking For Zelda in the Scarlet & Gray. Beaver’s other entrants include Californian Love (Race 2), who won a Northfield conditioned event on April 25 in 1:58 4/5 in a wire-to-wire effort, and Sesame (Race 3), a daughter of Triumphant Caviar with $87,797 in her lifetime bank account. In the four $40,000 divisions for 3-year-old Ohio-bred pacing fillies, last year’s $250,000 OSS Championship victress Bad Girls Rule returns to vie from post eight in the fourth OSS division (Race 10).  Conditioned by Jim Dailey for the 3rd Floor Stables of Springboro, OH, this daughter by World Of Rocknroll amassed $181,816 as a freshman, winning four of eight starts.  Dailey also sends out $28,915-earner Mercilless in the first division (Race 4). The Tye Loy-trainee Big Bad Goldie also goes postward in the fourth division (Race 10).  This Big Bad John daughter captured the 2017 OSS consolation for freshman pacing fillies in 1:54 3/5, and sports a lifetime bankroll of $60,701 for the Ohio trio of David Wills, Ricahrd Coad and Doug Gregory. Trainer Brian Brown—the 2017 Dan Patch Award Trainer of the Year & Good Guy award winner—sends seven fillies postward in the OSS pacing divisions, most notably, Prsntpretynperfect in division two (Race 6).  The Big Bad John lass earned $125,166 for Jennifer Brown, Richard Lombardo and Marlene Taylor last season, sweeping all four $40,000 legs of her OSS contests, and the $43,333 Ohio Breeders Championship for 2-year-olds at Delaware. Baron Remy, a $124,189 winner for trainer Ronnie Burke, goes behind the gate in the third OSS divison (Race 8), vying against Believe In Waco, a $125,598 earner for trainer Steve Novak.  The former is a daughter of Yankee Cruiser owned by Burke Racing, Silva, Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi, while the latter is a Believeinbruiser distaff owned by Gerald Mijal of Michigan.  Believe In Waco was a smart second in last year’s $250,000 OSS Championship for 2-year-old fillies, while Baron Remy captured her $43,333 Ohio Breeders Championship at Delaware and most recently took a $50,000 Scarley & Gray division at Miami Valley in a career best 1:52. Up Front Flor Ida, who won both her $15,000 Hackett elim and $40,000 Final (in 1:52 4/5), hails from post one in the first OSS division (Race 4).  Trained by Tim McKoy for Kevin & Virginia McKinney, this bay Woodstock daughter has a bankroll of $55,824 and leaves from the coveted rail slot. Six divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes sophomore trotting and pacing colts and geldings will line up behind the Miami Valley starting gate on Sunday afternoon, May 6.  Twenty-two diagonally-gaited specialists and 29 sidewheelers passed the Miami Valley entry box, necessitating three divisions for each gait.  First race post time is 2:05 pm, ET. Standouts returning from last season including $250,000 OSS 2-Year-Old Trot Championship winner Mission Accepted, a son of Manofmanymissions conditined and co-owned by Jeff Conger for Ohio partners Knox Services (also the breeder) and David Wills in the second division (Race 6).  Mission Accepted owns a mark of 1:54 3/5 taken in his last start at Miami Valley, when he captured a $50,000 Scarlet & Gray division.  His career earnings stand at a healthy $215,800. Sultan Of Cash—trained and owned by Roger Hughes, Jr.—was a multiple OSS winner in 2017, and has three second-place finishes in a trio of starts this year.  The winner of $152,765 is by Cash Hall, out of the Conway Hall mare Anything But Love and starts from post two in the first division (Race 2). In the pacing ranks, Seeing Eye Single looks for another strong season, having captured the $250,000 OSS Championship for freshman pacing colts on Sept. 2, 2017 at Scioto Downs.  The son of Dragon Again is conditioned by Ronnie Burke for Burke Racing, Silva, Purnel & Libby, Karr and Weaver Bruscemi and has $209,355 in his coffers. He’ll go postward in the first division (Race 4) from post eight. Trainer Brian Brown sends out five pacing contestants, including $100,148-winner Dragonology and $70,248-earner Slick Mick in the first division (Race 4); the McArdle colt Lots To Live For in the second division (Race 8); and Rockin Away and Cinnamack in the third division (Race 12). Conditioner Brenda Teague sends a formitable trio postward—one in each division.  Delaware Chrome, a son of Mr Apples, leaves from post seven in the first division (Race 4), while  the I’m Gorgeous colt Sip And A Bite gets the four-hole in the second division (Race 8), fresh off a 1:54 triumph at Harrah’s Philadelphia.  Lather Up, another son of I’m Gorgeous, leaves from post eight in the final division (Race 12). As in past years, each of the 2018 OSS divisions for 2- and 3-year-olds include four legs, a Championship to be contested at Scioto Downs on Sept. 8, and a Consolation at Northfied Park on Oct. 13.  The Championship purse increased this season to hefty $275,000, while horses in the Consolation will race for a respectable $60,000. This season, however, the legs have a fluctuating purse based on the number of nominated horses who enter.  If only one division is required for a leg, the purse will be $60,000; if two divisions are required, the purses will be $50,000 each; and if three or more divisions are required, then each will carry a $40,000 purse. As well, $60,000 Veteran Championships for horses and mares of both gaits, 4-year-olds and up,  have been reinstated this season, and will be held at Northfield Park on Oct. 6. Leg Two of this series for sophomores will be as follows:  June 2 at Northfield Park for 3-year-old pacing fillies;  June 9 at Scioto Downs for 3-year-old pacing colts;  June 11 at Northfield Park for 3-year-old trotting fillies; and June 15 at Scioto Downs for 3-year-old trotting colts. -edited release (Kim Rinker for OSDF)