Harness racing trainer Ron Burke & driver Chris Page teamed up to sweep all four $60,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Veteran Championships for 4-year-old and up trotters and pacers of both genders on Saturday night, Oct. 6 at Northfield Park.
Rosemary Rose prevailed in 1:50.4 in the $60,000 OSS contest for pacing mares after a perfect two-hole trip. The 4-year-old daughter by Foreclosure N left the gate as the 9-5 favorite, sitting in the garden spot until mid-stretch, when she unleashed a :27.4 kick to notch career victory 19. Owned by Burke Racing, Jason Melilo and Weaver Bruscemi, Rosemary Rose finished 3½ lengths in front of 8-5 Pistol Packin Mam (Aaron Merriman), with 9-5 Feelin Red Hot (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) fading to third. The triumph upped Rosemary Rose's career earnings to $370,262.
Page next steered 3-1 Lady's Pride to a 1:53.2 clocking in the $60,000 Trot, equaling the Northfield Park track record and finishing half a length in front of 4-5 I Know My Chip (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.). Another Break did well to finishing third at 18-1 for Danny Noble. The 7-year-old Victory Sam gelding is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and Johnny Yoder, with 45 wins from 119 starts and earnings of $793,848 lifetime.
In line to become the next Foiled Again, the seemingly indefatigable Dancin Yankee captured the $60,000 Pacing Championship for the fourth time. Timed in 1:49.3, the 10-year-old Yankee Cruiser stallion grabbed the lead at the 1:21.3 three-quarters and never looked back, drawing off by 3¼ lengths at 1-5 in front of 20-1 Uncle Remus (Jason Merriman). Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., piloted 22-1 Stride Of Pride to a third-place finish. Owned by Burke Racing, the victory pushed Dancin Yankee's career earnings to $1,836,957 and was his 69th lifetime win in his 217th start.
Finally, Page guided 3-5 Party At The Banks to a 1:55.3 clocking in the $60,000 Mare Trotting Championship. The 4-year-old daughter by Break The Bank K battled the leading 6-1 A TC Queenie (Dan Noble) throughout the mile before getting the better of her rival in the lane, prevailing by 2¼ lengths, with 10-1 Joyfulntriumphant (Aaron Merriman) notching show honors. The win was the fifth of the season for Party At The Banks and her ninth lifetime. Her career coffers now contain $79,973 for owners Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi.
Coming Up: Eight $60,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Consolations for 2- and 3-year-old trotting and pacing colts and fillies are set to spar at Northfield Park on October 13, wrapping up the 2018 OSS season.
by Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator