A trio of $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies highlight Northfield Park's Saturday night (August 20) harness racing card. Twenty-six sophomore distaffs will line up behind the starting gate to vie in round four of this series. Post time is 6 pm, ET.
Divisional leader My Tweed Heart-with 128 points in the series-leaves from post six with Josh Sutton aboard in the third division (Race 10). This daughter of Manhardt is conditioned by Bill Dailey for Carl and Melanie Atley of Xenia, OH and Alan Keith of Pataskala, OH.
My Tweed Heart captured Leg 1 at Miami Valley on May 6 in 1:54.4; was second in Leg 2 by a nose to Ohsowigglespecial at Scioto Downs on May 30 in 1:55.1; and captured Leg 3 at Scioto on July 2 in 1:54.1. Incidentally, Ohsowigglespecial is tied in the standings with My Tweed Heart with 128 points, but did not enter this fourth leg.
My Tweed Heart has seasonal earnings of $95,882 and career earnings of $228,134 from ten wins, three seconds and two thirds in 16 lifetime starts. Bred by Stanley Swango of Florida, My Tweed Heart is out of the Towner's Big Guy mare Tweedle D p, 6, 1:52.1s ($294,280) and was a $2,500 yearling purchase at the 2014 Ohio Select Sale.
The Carlo family's Clarebear vies from post three in division one (Race 5) with regular driver Peter Wrenn at the lines. The daughter of World Of Rocknroll won Leg 1 at Miami Valley on May 6 in 1:54.3 and Leg 2 on May 30 at Scioto Downs in a career best 1:54, before finishing third in Leg 3 at Scioto on July 2. She's amassed $64,218 in 11 starts this season, as she was unraced as a freshman. AJ Carlo conditions the homebred Clarebear, who is second in the standings with 115 points.
She Gone, who is fourth in the standings with 77 points, hails from the rail in this same division for trainer Brian Brown and driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. This Feelin Friskie lass won her OSS first leg test in 1:55.1-a career best-at Miami Valley on May 6 before finishing third in the next two legs. Owned by the Ohio-partnership of Brown, McCown and Lombardo, She Gone has career earnings of $66,085 from seven wins, two seconds and three thirds in 22 starts. Bred by Midland Acres, she is the fifth foal out of the Cam's Card Shark mare Semaj Hanover and is a half-sister to Semaj Sam (by Nobleland Sam) p, 4, 1:53.2f ($46,410). She Gone was a $20,000 yearling purchase the 2014 Ohio Select Sale.
Trainer Jim Arledge, Jr., will bridle up It's Your Fantasy in this same division for driver Josh Sutton from the seven-hole. The daughter of Big Bad John is owned by the Winchester Bay Acres of Powell, OH and won her first OSS leg in 1:55.1. Thereafter, she was third in the second leg and failed to garner a check in the third leg. Bred by Ohio's Greg and Holly Martin, this gregarious filly has career earnings of $66,755 from four wins in 21 starts and currently sits fifth in this division with 65 points. The first foal out of the Camluck mare Favorite Fantasy p, 2, 1:58.2f ($36,490), It's Your Fantasy was a $45,000 yearling purchase at the 2014 Ohio Select Sale.
Johnsbadgirl will start from post four against these rivals for driver Aaron Merriman. The winner of $70,738 lifetime is currently tied for sixth in the standings (along with JL Wonder Woman) with 58 points. Conditioned by Mike Polhamus for breeder/owner Julie Farley of Bradford, OH, Johnsbadgirl was fifth in her first OSS leg, then won the second leg on May 30 at Scioto Downs in 1:54, before finishing out of the money in Leg 3. Johnsbadgirl is the second foal out of the unraced Cambest mare Remembered Promise and has a half-brother in Knob Hill Shooter (by Sand Shooter) p, 3, 1:54.4f ($18,683).
Queen Ann M heads up the second OSS division (Race 8) from post three with Chris Page at the lines. This daughter of Big Bad John is tied for third in the standings (along with Gorgeous Road) with 86 points, having been second in Leg 1 and then winning Leg 2 at Scioto Downs on May 30 in a career best 1:53.2. Mike Roth conditions Queen Ann M, who has $175,227 in earnings for Alan Keith of Pataskala, OH and Carl and Melanie Atley of Xenia, OH. Jay Mossbardger bred the bay filly, who commanded a $27,000 purchase price at the 2014 Ohio Select Sale. She is the third foal out of the Grinfromeartoear mare Full Fledged and is a half-sister to Full Desire (by Real Desire) p, 3, 1:56.4 ($15,685).
The aforementioned Gorgeous Road starts from post two for driver Kurt Sugg and trainer Cory Deyermand, who both own the I'm Gorgeous daughter in partnership with Patricia Nappi of Jefferson, OH. This winner of $84,501 lifetime has steadily gotten better as the season progresses; having been fourth in Leg 1 of this series at Miami Valley on May 6; then second in Leg 2 at Scioto Downs on May 30; and finally winning Leg 3 at Scioto Downs on July 2 in 1:54.4. Four of her last five starts have been victories and all have come in front-stepping fashion for these connections.
Gorgeous Road was bred by Spring Haven Farm and Doug Millard Holdings USA Inc., and is the fourth foal out of the Western Hanover mare Da Vinci Road. She was a $5,000 yearling at the 2014 Ohio Select Sale and is a half-sister to the 2016 freshman Da Vinci Artist (by Art Official) p, 2, 1:56.1f ($40,918) and Da Mona Lisa (by Lis Mara) p, 2, Q1:57.4s ($25,093).
JL Wonder Woman has been assigned the eight-hole in this division and will have Kayne Kauffman in the sulky for trainer Scott Mogan. A winner of $59,949 lifetime, the Feelin Friskie lass is tied for sixth in the standings with Johnsbadgirl with 58 points. She's finished second, fifth and second in the first three legs of this series for the partnership of Ohioans Mogan, Thacker, Miller and Davis.
Bred by JL Hall of Ohio, JL Wonder Woman is the sixth of eight foals out of the Towner's Big Guy mare One Wild Woman p, 3, 1:54.2f ($88,763). Her siblings include Feeling Wild (by Feelin Friskie) p, 4, 1:58.3 ($67,782); Another Wild Woman (by Village Jolt) p, 4, 1:51.4f ($125,164); Kenna Lyn (by Western Hanover) p, 4, 1:52.4f ($88,395); One Naughty Lady (by Stand Forever) p, 4, 1:58.3 ($67,782); and Not Again Woman (by Dragon Again) p, 5, 1:57.2h ($15,724).
Two other contenders who have each won an OSS leg but missed a series leg are Wiggler (Race 5, Post 5) and Miss Me Yet (Race 5, Post 8). Each filly has a chance to improve their standings with a solid effort and garner themselves a spot in the $250,000 Championship, on Sept. 3.
About the Ohio Sires Stakes: Each of the four Ohio Sires Stakes legs for 2- and 3-year-olds (divided by colts & fillies, pacers & trotters), carries a purse of $40,000. The Ohio Sires Stakes series is based on a point system, with horses garnering the highest number of the points after the four legs becoming eligible to the $250,000 Championship.
Points are awarded in each of the first four legs of the series as follows: Win-50; Second-25; Third-12; Fourth-8; Fifth-5; and all starters receive one point each. Eight of the eligible horses (those with the highest number of points) who enter the Championship will line up behind the Northfield Park starting gate on Super Night, Sept. 3.
Kimberly Rinker