Harness: Ohio sophomores featured in weekend Sire Stakes

The second leg of the 2019 Ohio Sires Stakes for sophomores continues this weekend with 3-year-old pacing fillies featured Friday night at Scioto Down and 3-year-old trotting colts in the limelight at Northfield Park on Saturday night.

Seventeen fillies battle in two $50,000 OSS divisions at Scioto (Races 3 & 6) with a first race post time of 6:30 pm, ET. Stallions represented by pacing fillies include four by Dragon Again, three by McArdle, two each by Pet Rock and Yankee Cruiser, and one each by Beachtrea, Big Bad John, Nob Hill High, Rockin Amadeus, The Panderosa and Yankee Cruiser.

Conditioners Brian Brown and Ronnie Burke dominate these two divisions, with both trainers having a total of four fillies competing, two in each division.

In the first OSS division (Race 3) Queen Of The Pride will be trying for her second OSS triumph of the season against seven foes. Last year’s champion and a winner of $442,479 lifetime simply devestated her competition for driver Tony Hall with a 1:51 4/5 victory in Leg One. The McArdle lass—who is owned by Frank Chick and trained by Kevin Lare—left the gate and never looked back, drawing away from her five rivals in the final turn and sprinting to a 5½ length win. Bred by Hickory Lane Farm’s Brad Wallace, Queen Of The Pride made an uncharacteristic break in the $109,234 Lismore Final at Yonkers on May 25 after taking the $20,000 Lismore elim on May 18 in 1:53 2/5. Hall drives from post three.

Leg One winner Avaline Hanover heads up the second OSS division (Racer 6) for driver Chris Page and trainer Ronnie Burke. The daughter of Dragon Again scored her first leg triumph handily in 1:52 1/5 on May 3 at Miami Valley, upping her seasonal earnings to $71,890. Owned by Burke, L. Karr, J&T Silva-Purnell & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi, Avaline Hanover has amassed $84,930 lifetime from five wins, five seconds and a third in 13 career starts. She was bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Inc. Page drives Avaline Hanover from post four against eight rivals.

Eightteen diagonally gaited colts and geldings will line up behind the Northfield Park starting gate in a pair of $50,000 OSS contests Saturday (Races 4 & 8) with a first race post time of 6 pm, ET. Ohio- stallions represented by progeny in these two events include four each by Manofmanymissions and Uncle Peter; two each by Break The Bank K, Dejarmbro and Wishing Stone; and one each by Cash Hall, Dontyouforgetit, Ilooklikemymom and My MVP.

Trainers dominating these two divisons are Ronnie Burke with three trotters and Chris Beaver and Jason McGinnis with two each competing.

In the second $50,000 OSS division (Race 8) Leg one winners Wittyville and Lane Of Stone square off.

Wittyville, a Manofmanymissions colt, was the 2-year-old OOS Championship winner in 2018, clocked in 1:57. Trained by Ronnie Burke and owned by Burke Racing, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi, this homebred won his Leg One OSS contest in 1:54 3/5 by nearly three lengths on May 5 at Miami Valley. From five starts this season he’s garnered three wins and $48,860, with $256,013 earned lifetime. Chris Page drives from post five.

Lane Of Stone is conditioned by Mark Winters, Sr., for owner/breeder Harry Horowitz of Brooklyn, NY. A winner of $189,893 lifetime, this Wishing Stone colt has eight wins and two seconds in ten career starts and captured Leg One in near wire-to-wire fashion in 1:53 1/5 by nearly four lengths. Jeff Nisonger will be in the sulky from post six in this nine-horse field.

Leg One winner Patti’s Main Man heads up the first OSS division (Race 4) with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., driving for trainer/owner Mike Sowers of McArthur, OH from post three. The Manofmanymissions gelding captured that first OSS contest in 1:55 1/5 with Jeremy Smith at the lines. Bred by Midland Acres, Patti’s Main Man has career earnings of $93,815 from seven wins, two seconds and two thirds in 17 lifetime starts. That OSS victory was his lone triumph of the season in four tries.

-edited release (Kimberly Rinker for OSDF)