Like Old Times notched the first of four $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes (OSS) divisions for harness racing 3-year-old fillies on Friday night, August 14 at Northfield Park. The Don McKirgan-trained daughter of Chip Chip Hooray bested seven trotting rivals to win in a front-stepping 1:57 with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr, at the lines.
Owned and bred by Keith Ross of Bellefontaine, Ohio, Like Old Times pushed her seasonal earnings to $108,512 in her ninth triumph of the year in 12 starts. She won the second leg of this series on June 12 at this same venue. Student Of Life (Kurt Sugg) was second, while I'd Rather Walk (Aaron Merriman) grabbed third.
Trainer Marty Wollam harnessed Dark Roast to a wire-to-wire 1:57.1 victory in the second OSS division for sophomore trotting fillies. Kurt Sugg was in the sulky behind the daughter of Full Count, who was bred by Marvin Raber. Dark Roast pushed her career earnings to $118,288 with the win, her third in OSS competition this season.
Owned by Acadia Farms, Inc. and G&B Racing, the venerable filly won the first OSS leg on May 1 at Miami Valley in 1:58 and the second at Northfield on June 12 in 1:57.3. Lisa Jane (Ryan Stahl) finished second, while I'm Chiptastic was third for Aaron Merriman.
Sophomore pacing filly Karlee Sue grabbed the lead at the quarter and never looked back, taking the OSS pacing division easily in 1:55.1. Reined by Tim Tetrick for trainer and co-owner Al Tomlinson for partners Daniel Mitchell, Novi MI and Dennis Stolz, Midland, MI, the daughter of Feelin Friskie pushed her career bankroll to $99,227 in her fourth win in 11 starts this year.
Bred by Midland Acres, Karlee Sue won a second leg of this series on June 12 at Northfield in 1:54.2. E Ticket Ride (Aaron Merriman) finished second and Sectionlinefriskie (Chris Page) nabbed show honors.
Crosswinds Cupcake, a David Elliott trainee, captured the second OSS pacing division in a demanding, wire-to-wire effort in 1:54.1 with Dan Noble at the controls, besting her rivals by four lengths. Bred by and co-owned by Crosswinds Farm, Waynesville, OH and Stephen Sexton, Xenia, this daughter of Stand Forever-Keystone Mulberry-Artsplace notched her third consecutive victory and her eighth lifetime win, pushing her career earnings to $124,254. Feeling Outrageous (Ken Holiday) finished second, while Bell Flower (Chris Page) got up for third.
Leg four of Ohio Sires Stakes action for 3-year-old trotting and pacing fillies will be contested Friday, Aug. 28 at Scioto Downs, while the $225,000 Championships for all 2- and 3-year-old divisions of trotters and pacers, colts and fillies, will take place on Sept. 12 at Scioto Downs.
Kimberly Rinker