Two divisions of 3-year-old Buckeye-bred trotting fillies highlight the Scioto Downs harness racing program on Friday night, August 19, as 20 diagonally-gaited distaffs square off in the fourth round of Ohio Sires Stakes. Post time is 6:30 pm, ET.
Each division carries a purse of $40,000, as this final leg of OSS action will help determine who is eligible for the $250,000 Championship. The Ohio Sires Stakes is based on a point system, with horses garnering the highest number of the points after the four legs becoming eligible to the Championship. Eight of the eligible horses who enter the Championship will line up behind the Northfield Park starting gate on Super Night, Sept. 3.
Consolidator sits atop the standings with 153 points to her credit after winning the first three legs of the series for trainer Jim Arledge, Jr. The bay daughter by Triumphant Caviar won Leg 1 at Miami Valley on May 6 in 1:57.4; Leg 2 at Northfield Park on May 29 in 1:58; and Leg 3 at Scioto Downs on July 1 in a personal best of 1:55.3 for the Green Acquisition Corp., of Canfield, OH.
Bred by the Rose Run Farm, Consolidator has been driven in all of her OSS starts by Chris Page, and has $72,687 in seasonal earnings and a lifetime bankroll of $150,303. She is the sixth and most prolific foal out of the Muscles Yankee mare Muscle Toy, 3, 1:55.3 ($107,723) and was a $25,000 yearling purchase at the 2014 Ohio Select Sale.
Consolidator starts from post four in the second OSS division (Race 3), and will face off against Kerfuffle Cookie, who is third in the standings with 103 points. This daughter of Chip Chip Hooray won the first leg of the series at Miami Valley on May 6 in 1:58 and has taken the bridesmaid role in Legs 2 and 3 for trainer Chris Beaver, who owns the filly in partnership with Synerco Ventures, Inc., of Toronto, ON.
Kerfuffle Cookie was a $20,000 yearling at the Ohio Select Sale and has rewarded her owners with $135,639 in career earnings. Bred by the Lmn Bred Stables Inc., of Mount Sterling, OH, Kerfuffle Cookie is the third foal out of the Conway Hall mare Minor Skirmish and is a full sister to the 2-year-old filly Mybigbrowneyedgirl Q2:05.2h ($8,000); and a half-sister to Allie's Gift (by Holiday Road) 3, 1:57.1h ($62,648) and to Special Agent Man (by Federal Flex) 3, Q1:59.1s ($45,037). She's set to be driven by Ryal Stahl from post three.
Beaver will also harness Kestrel for breeder Wilbur Lang of Jamestown, OH from post two in this same division. The brown daughter by Triumphant Caviar sits eighth in the standings (57 points), having skipped Leg 1, only to prevail in 1:57 in Leg 2 at Northfield on May 29, before finishing fifth in Leg 3 at Scioto Downs on July 1. A winner of $244,025 lifetime, Kestrel won her last start at Scioto Downs on July 29 in wire-to-wire fashion by six lengths, stopping the clock in a career best 1:55 for driver Aaron Merriman. Her seasonal coffers stand at $52,375 from just four starts.
Kestrel is the homebred first foal out of the unraced Credit Winner mare Blackrock and has a full sister in Chim Swift 2, 1:57.2f ($49,000) who won an OSS leg on July 3 at Northfield Park in 1:57.4 for these same connections.
The Kim Sigler-trained Kandy Krisp starts from the rail in this same OSS test, with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. driving. Owned by John Stafford, Warren, OH and Tucker Baumiller of Boardman, OH, the daughter of Rompaway Wally won the series first leg at Miami Valley on May 6 in 1:58.4 and currently sits fourth in the standings with 77 points. She followed that up with third-place finishes in legs two and three and has amassed $57,237 in seasonal earnings.
Bred by Cindy Mays and Anna Watts of Michigan, Kandy Krisp was a $6,000 yearling purchase at the August 2014 Blooded Horse Sale. She is the fifth foal out of the Keystone Nordic mare Kandy's Lc, and is a half-sister to High Jacked (by Davanti) 5, 1:56.4f ($133,810) and Shezalock (by Lockkeeper) 4, 1:57.4f ($43,951).
Contenders Hoorah Hoorah (post 9) and Brushy Rose (post 7) are tied in the standings with 58 points each, and will also be looking to up their status in this same division.
ATC Queenie, who is second in the standings with 115 points, heads up the first division (Race 2) of ten contestants from post three with Chris Page. This daughter of Triumphant Caviar, who is trained by Ron Steck for Trish Soulsby of Powell, OH and Richard Schaut of Pompano Beach, FL won legs two and three of this series (in 1:58.3 and 1:56.3) after finishing third in the first leg at Miami Valley. She also scored a 1:55.1 personal best in a Ohio State Fair romp at Scioto Downs on July 29.
Bred by Ohio's Danny Collins, ATC Queenie is the sixth foal out of the unraced American Winner mare American Queen and has a Chip Chip Hooray half-brother in King Chip K 4, 2:00.4f ($36,737). ATC Queenie was a $7,500 yearling purchase at the 2014 Ohio Select Sale.
Rival Buckeye Lady One hails from post five in this same division for driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., and trainer Josh Green, who conditions the daughter of Pilgrims Taj for the J&M Stable of Harrington, DE; Richard Lombardo of Solon, OH; and the Baron Racing Stable of Horsham, PA. A winner of $66,953 in her career, Buckeye Lady One sits fifth in the standings with 65 points and finished second in the first two OSS legs and third in the third leg.
Bred by Eli Miller of Ohio, Buckeye Lady One is the third foal out of the unraced Striking Sahbra mare Sasha Hall and has half-siblings in: Jesse's Song (by Jailhouse Jesse) 4, 1:54.2f ($136,576); Charming Cadet (by Dejarmbro) 2, Q2:05.1h ($16,017); and Monster Luke (by Conway Hall) 3, Q2:01.3s ($13,624).
Ohio Sires Stakes action continues Saturday night, August 20, at Northfield Park with three divisions of 3-year-old pacing fillies taking center stage in round four action. Post time is 6 pm, ET.
Kimberly Rinker