Northfield: Heart Of Chewbacca, Charlie May star in Ohio Sires Stakes

Heart of Chewbacca, the 1-2 Ron Burke-trained favorite, stormed to a 1:50 4/5 clocking in the first Ohio Sires Stakes division for 3-year-old male pacers on Saturday night at Northfield Park, tying the national season's record for his gait and gender. The son of Bring On The Beach nailed down his second triumph in OSS competition, having captured leg one in 1:51 2/5 for owners Dennis Owens and Norman Rae Racing.

Heart Of Chewbacca bested 17-1 rival Cyclone Union Jack (Ryan Stahl), with 5-2 Hardt At Work (Mike Micallef) nailing down third-place honors. The winner was bred by Spring Haven Farm and now has ten wins and four seconds in 16 career starts, with $313,848 earned lifetime. Heart Of Chewbacca is the second foal out of his dam, the Four Starzzz Shark mare JT's Chewbacca p, 3, 1:53 1/5f ($32,220).

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Charlie May also tied the national season's record for a 3-year-old pacing gelding on a half-mile track with his 1:50 4/5 clocking in the second OSS division. Driven by Brett Miller for trainer Steve Carter and owner-breeder Don Tiger, the brown son by McArdle notched his tenth career victory, upping his earnings to $548,127 lifetime. Charlie May had captured OSS leg two in a swift 1:49 3/5 at Scioto Downs after finishing fourth in leg one in early May at Miami Valley. Odds On Shaggy, a 9-1 shot who was making his first start in an OSS contest, was second for Kurt Sugg, with 25-1 KB Mac third for Hunter Myers.

Charlie May is the seventh and highest-earning foal out of his Western Hanover dam, the unraced Stipple Hanover, and is a half-brother to the 2-year-old pacing colt and OSS contender Shane Falco (by Racing Hill) p, 2, 1:56 1/5h ($21,710), who is also owned and was bred by Tiger.

--press release (Ohio Standardbred Development Fund)--