Northfield: Truly Relentless fastest in Sunday's Ohio Sires Stakes

Truly Relentless lived up to her name in the third and final $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes flight for 2-year-old filly trotters on Sunday night at Northfield Park, rolling to a 1:57 3/5 win over a sloppy racetrack. Cali Red and Sliding Sister captured the other two splits.

Driver Chris Lems fired Truly Relentless to the lead from post three, and she would front her eight rivals through panels of 29 1/5, 59 4/5, and 1:28 3/5. Truly Relentless put away a tepid first-over bid by Rose Run Yancee (Mitchell Cushing) as they raced in the backstretch for the final time and pulled away in a 29 1/5 last quarter to down pocket-sitter Swinging Senorita (Anthony MacDonald) by 2 3/4 lengths. Global Girl (Don Irvine Jr.) got up for third.

Steve Cross trains Truly Relentless, a daughter of Long Tom-Inner Drive bred by Marsh Valley Standardbreds, for owners Richard Gutnick, Tom Pontone, and Joe Lozito Jr. Truly Relentless, a $43,000 purchase at last year's Ohio Selected Jug Sale, broke her maiden in her third try, and she has now pocketed $59,375. She paid $4.20 to win as the favorite.

Back in the opening division Smokinhotirishgirl (MacDonald) showed the way through fractions of 29 1/5, 1:00, and 1:29 2/5 but broke on the last turn, leaving first-over challenger Jumping The Line (Billy Davis Jr.) with a narrow lead and forcing pocket-sitter Cali Red (Aaron Merriman) to angle out to get around her. Once Cali Red found clearance, she surged to take the top spot away from Jumping The Line turning for home, then held her at bay to the wire to tally by half a length in 2:00. She's Loveable (Chris Page) finished third.

Trainer Chris Beaver also co-owns Cali Red, a Triumphant Caviar-Red Storm filly, with breeder Sandra Burnett. Cali Red won for the first time in her second chance, pushed her bankroll to $38,000, and returned $3.60 to win as the 4-5 choice.

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The second section saw Whispering Song (MacDonald) on top at the 29 3/5 quarter and 1:00 2/5 half, but Victoria Leigh (Kurt Sugg) made a first-over move out of third past the half that carried her onto level terms with Whispering Song at the 1:30 2/5 three-quarters. Watching that from second-over was Sliding Sister (Page), and she would be tipped out three-wide on the last turn. Once she was fed racetrack, Sliding Sister vaulted past the battling duo of Whispering Song and Victoria Leigh and went on to score by three-quarters of a length in 2:00 2/5. Rose Run Yolanda (Trevor Smith) overcame an early break to finish a closing second, and Along In Time (Irvine Jr.) collected third.

Sliding Sister is a daughter of Uncle Peter-Glidemyway trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Ras Racing LLC., Hatfield Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The LMN Bred Stables Inc.-bred cost $56,000 to buy at last year's Ohio Selected Jug Sale and won at first asking after four baby races at The Meadows where she finished sixth, third, fourth, and first. She was dispatched at 7-1 and paid $16.40 to win.