Scioto: Ohio Sires Stakes season concludes for rookies, sophomores

It was Ohio Super Night on Sunday at Scioto Downs, with all eight 2-year-old and 3-year-old Ohio Sires Stakes champions for 2020 crowned in $300,000 finals.

Driver Chris Page and trainer Ron Burke started by winning the first two Championships held, taking the 2-year-old filly trot with Merry Ann in 1:57 and the 2-year-old filly pace with Summer Touch in 1:52 3/5.

Merry Ann, by Southwind Spirit, is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC., Knox Services Inc., and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Merry Ann, who was also bred by Knox Services Inc., has a record of 5-2-0 from seven starts, has banked $245,200, and paid $5.20 to win.

Summer Touch, a daughter of Well Said, is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC. and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. in partnership with breeders Knox Services Inc. and Slaughter Racing Stb LLC. Summer Touch has five wins and a second from six appearances, has put away $255,000, and returned $2.40 to win.

Penpaperpaige (Tyler Smith) turned a second-over trip into a 1:52 1/5 score in the Championship for sophomore pacing fillies. The daughter of Pet Rock, trained by Jeff Smith for owner-breeder Shirley Le Vin, made her ninth appearance in the winner's circle and has now pocketed $273,026. She paid $26.40 to win.

Perron (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) also converted a second-over journey into a Championship, as Wrenn Jr. sent him three-wide on the last turn and he chased down leader Street Gossip (Brett Miller) nearing the wire to win the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot in 1:58. Chris Beaver trains Perron, by My MVP, for co-owner/breeder Steve Stewart and co-owners David Wright, Greg Wilcoxen, and Kevin Doherty. Perron has a pair of triumphs from seven trips behind the gate, has put $198,300 in the bank, and returned $15.00 to win as a 6-1 offering.

Guinevere Hall (Peter Wrenn) improved to seven-for-seven in 2020 in stylish fashion, powering home from second-over to tally by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:53 1/5 in the sophomore filly trot. Melanie Wrenn is the trainer of Guinevere Hall, a daughter of Cash Hall, for owners M T Pockets Stables and David McDuffee. Third in the sire stakes final last year, Guinevere Hall has ten lifetime wins and pushed her earnings to $415,801. She was the betting choice and paid $4.20 to win.

Two-year-old gelding pacer Charlie May was the first of two winners steered by Brett Miller, as he came out of the pocket on the final bend and surged by leader Heart Of Chewbacca (Dan Noble) to take top honors in that division, stopping the clock in a track record 1:50 2/5. Charlie May, who also won the $150,000 The Next Generation at Scioto earlier this year, is trained by Steve Carter for owner-breeder Don Tiger. The son of McArdle has five wins and a pair of runner-up finishes from seven starts and has put away $295,181. He returned $5.60 to win.

"Super Brett" was back for another win photo after piloting Action Uncle to a 1:53 victory in the 3-year-old male trot. Action Uncle surged into the lead in the second quarter and pulled away in the lane to win by 3 3/4 lengths for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. and owners Carl Howard, Joyce McClelland, and Larry Wills. Action Uncle, an Uncle Peter colt, has won seven of eight in 2020, ten of 14 overall, has earned $545,825, and paid $2.60 to win.

Ocean Rock (Noble) took the last of the eight Championships, the sophomore colt and gelding pace, in 1:49 4/5. He forged his way past Elver Hanover (Page) after the 26 3/5 opening quarter and never looked back, winning by a length and a quarter for trainer Christi Noble and owner/breeder Sandra Burnett. Ocean Rock, a close second in the Carl Milstein Memorial at Northfield against open company earlier this summer, is now a ten-time winner in his life, and has earnings of $495,677. He also returned $2.60 to win.