Northfield: Page, Burke triple in Ohio Sires Stakes

It was the Ron Burke and Chris Page show on Saturday night, Aug. 15 at Northfield Park as the trainer-driver combo captured the first three Ohio Sires Stakes.

It's Academic and Page captured the first of two $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for sophomore trotting colts and geldings handily in 1:55 1/5. The son of Uncle Peter-Annapolis (Muscle Hill) was the 1-5 favorite, upped his seasonal earnings to $150,572, and career earnings to $279,574 for owners Burke Racing, Bill Donovan, Joe Sbrocco, and the Hatfield Stables. Dan Noble steered Doubleyellowline (3-1) to second-place money, with 18-1 Bold Strategy getting up for third with Kurt Sugg aboard.

Page returned to score another OSS triumph with the 3-year-old pacing filly Crowntimerockette in 1:51 3/5. The daughter of Pet Rock, out of the Feelin Friskie mare Crown Time Keeper, sat in the pocket behind the leader, eventual second-place finisher, and 3-5 favorite PJ's Legacy (Ryan Stahl) before unleashing a hefty late kick to win at odds of 3-1. McMarkle Sparkle got up for third at 7-2 for driver Brett Miller. Crowntimerockette notched her sixth seasonal victory in 15 starts, pushed her 2020 earnings to $72,060, and her career earnings to $82,305 for Burke Racing, A. Schmucker, Jr. Weaver Bruscemi, and L. Karr.

The Page-Burke winning combo continued in the second OSS division for 3-year-old pacing fillies as 18-1 Rockngo B B scored in 1:53. Owned by Burke Racing, Frank Baldachino, Weaver Bruscemi, and L. Karr, the brown daughter of Pet Rock, out of the Art's Chip mare Gitngo B B, picked up her second seasonal win in three tries and now has $29,750 in career earnings for her connections. 3-5 favorite Artful Dancer was second for Noble, and 8-5 Ellagator notched show honors with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. at the controls.

Action Uncle, the 1-9 favorite, took the second OSS contest for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings in 1:55 for driver Brett Miller and trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. The son of Uncle Peter-Action-Broadway (Broadway Hall) is now six-for-six on the season, with 2020 earnings of $166,500 for owners Carl Howard, Joyce McClelland, and Larry Wills. Yanks Dugout (21-1) was second for Sugg, with Buxton (99-1) third for Noble.

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