Only Take Cash, last year's 2-year-old Ohio Sires Stake champion, took her division handily in wire-to-wire fashion as the 6-5 favorite in a 1:54.1 with Aaron Merriman at the lines, holding off 7-2 rival Aunt Rose (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) by half a length at the wire. Ryan Stahl guided 11-1 Wicked Sugar to a third-place finish.
The daughter of Cash Hall is conditioned and co-owned by trainer Robert McIntosh and partners Dave Boyle and Mardon Stables, all of Ontario, Canada. She had finished third in the first leg of this series on May 3 at Miami Valley Raceway.
Only Take Cash upped her career earnings to $328,140 lifetime and now has ten wins in 12 starts. The homebred is the fifth foal out of the Garland Lobell mare Armbro Affair 4, 1:53.4s ($430,997), with half-siblings in Tough Affair (by Muscle Mass) 4, 1:59.2f ($69,968); A Fair Conchnito (by In Conchnito) 4, 1:58.2 ($33,866).
Pure Chance and driver Jason Thompson left nothing to chance as they captured the other OSS division with an easy, front-stepping 1:54.2 score. The daughter of Triumphant Caviar left the gate as the 7-1 choice and glided to a 3¾ length triumph for trainer Chris Beaver and co-owner Steven Zeehandelar.
Princessofpink, who held up the race for several minutes after returning to the paddock for a shoe repair was a smart second for driver Tony Hall at 9-2 odds, while another Beaver trainee, 8-1 Back Splash, was third for Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.
Pure Chance, who was bred by Jonas Schabach of Ohio, now has $134,745 in her career bankroll, and has earned $37,500 in OSS competition thus far this season. She is out of the Credit Winner mare Jewell Creek and is a full sister to OSS winner Sesame 3, 1:55.1f ($245,227) and Jewels N caviar 4, 1:59h ($31,392) and has a half-sibling in Explosive Ripple (by Explosive Matter) 4, 1:58f ($88,287).
Ohio Sires Stakes, Leg Two action continues June 14 at Scioto Downs for 3-year-old pacing fillies (Leg Two) and June 15 at Northfield Park for 3-year-old trotting colts. Leg Three for sophomore trotting fillies is slated to commence July 26 at Scioto Downs.
Kimberly Rinker