Northfield: Three-year-old trotting fillies battle in Ohio Sires Stakes; world record for Cams Valentino

Spunky Bottom Girl lowered her lifetime mark by four full seconds, and there was a dead-heat between Non Smoker and California Love in the pair of $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes events for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Monday evening at Northfield Park.

In the first split Alana's Ways (Josh Sutton) made front early, but she would be overtaken by Sesame (Aaron Merriman) passing the 28 second opening quarter. Sesame would go on to reach the half in 57 1/5, with Dashanay (Chris Page) moving first-up and Spunky Bottom Girl (Tyler Smith) on the cover second-over.

Sesame clung desperately to the lead at the 1:26 3/5 three-quarters, but Spunky Bottom Girl had all the momentum three-wide at that point, and she would clear midway through the far turn. 4-5 favorite Impinktoo (Kayne Kauffman) had tracked Spunky Bottom Girl's cover and three-wide advance, and she had dead-aim through the lane, but Spunky Bottom Girl proved too tough as she won by two lengths in 1:55 4/5. Sesame held third.

The victorious My MVP filly is trained by Brent Davis for owner/breeder Ed Teefey. Spunky Bottom Girl, whose previous career-best clocking was a 1:59 4/5 mile at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds last year, scored her fourth career victory, and she has now earned $57,215. She was sent off at 7-1 and paid $17.60 to win.

Looking For Zelda (Tony Hall) was coming into the second section off a win against open company in the Currier & Ives at The Meadows and was dispatched as the 1-2 choice. She left swiftly from post two, but so did Non Smoker (Dan Noble) from post four, and they would duel to a 26 4/5 opening quarter. Non Smoker finally cleared coming off the second turn, and she would click off the half in 55 seconds.

Red Storm (Merriman) went on the attack first-up from third as the fillies came off the third turn, and she was nose-to-nose with Non Smoker at the 1:25 three-quarters, with California Love (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) grabbing the cover to sit second-over. Non Smoker battled back to reclaim a clear advantage on the final bend, with Wrenn sending his charge three-wide halfway through the turn.

California Love advanced with every stride through the lane, as Non Smoker was understandably looking for the wire off the fast half and tough trip, but she gamely stayed on enough to tie with the closer, with both fillies earning a 1:56 2/5 win. Red Storm held on for third, three-parts of a length back.

Non Smoker, a daughter of My MVP, is also trained by Noble for owner Steve Sexton. She is now a five-time winner in her life, and she returned $5.20 to win after being sent off at 7-2.

Trainer Chris Beaver also co-owns California Love, a Stormin Normand filly, with partners Steven Zeehandelar, Marion Beachy, and Moger-Delia Racing Inc. She made her eighth appearance in the winner's circle, and she paid $15.80 to win as a 17-1 offering.

Later on the card, Cams Valentino set a new world record of 1:49 for a 4-year-old gelding pacer on a half-mile track in winning the $14,500 Open II pace. With Merriman at the controls for trainer Kent Sherman, Cams Valentino led through fractions of 27, 54 2/5, and 1:21 2/5, then came home in 27 3/5 to win by 11 1/2 lengths. The clocking lowered the previous mark of 1:49 4/5 that was set by Wiggle It Jiggleit when he won the 2016 Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield.

Cams Valentino is a son of Art Official owned by his breeders Arold, Drury, and Kohut. This was his 12th career victory.