Harness: Ohio Sires Stakes featured at Scioto this weekend

Scioto Downs will play host to multiple Ohio Sires Stakes divisions both Friday (July 23) and Saturday evening (July 24), featuring 3-year-old colt trotters on Friday and 2-year-old pacing colts and fillies on Saturday.

Friday, the undefeated Winning Ticket goes postward in the first of two $50,000 OSS divisions for sophomore trotting males, leaving from post 6 for driver Aaron Merriman and trainer Chris Beaver. This winner of $206,047 lifetime from ten wins in 14 starts captured both previous OSS legs, with his lifetime-best mark of 1:54 taken on June 5 at Northfield Park. The son of Triumphant Caviar is six for six thus far this year with $111,000 in seasonal earnings.

On Saturday night, four $40,000 divisions of 2-year-old pacing fillies will line up behind the Scioto starting gate with Leg-one winner Dragon's Revenge starting from post three in the first division (Race 1). Trained by Christi Noble, the brown filly by Fear The Dragon won Leg one in 1:54 1/5 on July 10 at Northfield and now has $38,000 in her coffers. Danny Noble drives.

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Leg-one winner Cape Cod Hanover start from post four in the second division (Race 3) with Chris Page driving for trainer Ron Burke. The bay filly by Downbytheseaside captured leg one in 1:53 3/5 and will be trying for her third lifetime win. To date she has earnings of $23,400.

The third OSS division (Race 10) for freshman pacing fillies finds Secret Side Piece leaving from post six for trainer Todd Luther and driver Trevor Smith. This bay daughter by Downbytheseaside captured leg one in 1:53 3/5 and has $57,500 in earnings from a win and a second in two lifetime starts.

Finally, in the fourth OSS filly division (Race 11), leg-one winners Cold Hearted Gypsy (post six) and Sea Silk (post seven) square off. Cold Hearted Gypsy captured her first leg in 1:53 1/5, winning by 12 1/4 lengths for driver Chris Lems and trainer Herman Hagerman, while Sea Silk won her event in nearly the same fashion, scoring in 1:53 3/5 for driver Chris Page and trainer Ron Burke, winning by 7 1/2 lengths. Sea Silk is the richer of the two, with $95,000 earned in two starts, while Cold Hearted Gypsy has $20,000 in earnings from that lone OSS triumph.

Freshman pacing colts face off in a trio of $40,000 OSS events, carded as races two, six and eight. In the first division, Buckeye Seaside will be trying for his second straight victory, having captured leg one in 1:53 4/5 for driver Kayne Kauffman and trainer Mike Polhamus. This son of Downbytheseaside has $22,000 in his coffers and will start from post seven.

Gulf Shores headlines the second pacing colt division, leaving from post five with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., driving for trainer Brian Brown. This bay son of Downbytheseaside won his first OSS leg in 1:52 4/5 and will be trying for his second career victory for these same connections.

Christi Noble will harness up Sling Shock in the third and final OSS division for pacing colts from post eight. This leg-one winner was clocked in 1:52 and is now two-for-two lifetime, with $95,000 in career earnings. He is another son by Downbytheseaside, who appears to be one of the most prolific stallions in Ohio, in regard to OSS starters.

-edited release (Kimberly Rinker for OSDF)