The Scioto Downs entry box was jammed Thursday morning with 143 entries, necessitating 16 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes (OSS) for 2-year-old Buckeye-bred colt trotters and pacers in a special harness racing matinee program on Monday, July 4.
A full 99 pacing colts are set to vie in 11 races, while 44 trotting youngsters will go postward in five events. This is the first leg of the series for freshman Ohi-breds, many of whom are making their career debuts, with each OSS division carrying a purse of $40,000. Post time is 2 pm, ET.
The Ohio Sires Stakes program continues to grow, with a strong presence of both trotting and pacing stallions in 2016. From the 44 trotting colts entered into Monday's events, 16 were by Dejarmbro, while eight were by Triumphant Caviar and four by Full Count.
One of the fastest youngsters on the program is Buckeye Boss, a Chris Beaver trainee and son of Triumphant Caviar. After finishing second in a Scioto Downs qualifier on June 8, timed in 2:03.1, the colt won a Scioto overnight on June 21 in 1:59.4. He'll start in the third OSS trotting division (Race 5) from the six-hole.
Beaver has two other Triumphant Caviar youngsters who come into their debuts off strong qualifiers: Fraser Ridge won a Scioto qualifier on June 21 in 2:00.2 in rein to his trainer and has the five-hole in the second OSS trotting division (Race 3). Always A Good Time leaves from post eight in the fourth OSS trotting division (Race 7). This colt won two qualifiers in wire-to-wire fashion; the first at Delaware on June 8 in 2:03 and the second at Scioto Downs on June 22 in 2:01.1.
Melanie Wrenn will tighten the girth on the Dejarmbro youngster Stormy Kromer in the first OSS division (Race 2). This brown colt won a Scioto qualifier on June 27 in 2:01.1 and will leave from post six in his pari-mutuel debut.
Another son of Dejarmbro, the Jim Dailey-trained Speed Lane, will leave from the rail in the fourth OSS division (Race 7). Speed Lane won his Scioto qualifier on June 13 in 2:02.1 before finishing second at the five-eighths mile oval on June 21, timed in 2:00.1.
Other top trotting contenders include Full Surge, a Marty Wollam-conditioned son of Full Count who scored a winning 2:00.3 qualifier on June 17 at Scioto Downs. Full Surge leaves from post seven in the fifth OSS division (Race 12).
Star Buster, a son of Deep Chip, hails from the Jeff Cox stable in the third OSS division (Race 5), from post eight. Star Buster qualified at Northfield Park on June 9 in 2:03.3, drawing off by 8¼ lengths. He followed that performance up with a 1:59 triumph in his pari-mutuel debut on June 25 at the "home of the flying turns," this time scoring by 9¼ lengths in an overnight test, and trotting his final panel in a respectable :28.4.
From the 99 pacing colts set to vie, 22 are by McArdle, 18 by Big Bad John and 13 by Art Official.
Standouts in this division include Cammander Ruff, a Jim Arledge, Jr.–conditioned son of Stand Forever who goes postward in the second OSS division (Race 4) from the two-hole. Cammander Ruff won a Scioto qualifier on June 27 in a speedy 1:55.2.
Drunk On Your Love, a son of Foreclosure N, hails from the Jim Dailey stable in the third OSS division (Race 7) from post seven. This 2-year-old has a trio of front-stepping, winning qualifiers to his credit. He scored his first at Tioga Downs on June 3 in 1:58.2 before posting an identical time at Scioto on June 13. Finally, he paced to a winning 1:55.4 on June 27 at Scioto Downs.
Trainer Brian Brown harnesses Corner Con Artist for his career debut in the fifth OSS division (Race 9) from post two. The son of Art Official captured his Scioto qualifier on June 22 handily in 1:56. Brown also sends out Mcraven in the tenth OSS division (Race 15) from the eight-hole. A son of McArdle, Mcraven posted three winning qualifiers prior to this debut. He won at Delaware on June 8 in 1:59.4 and again on June 14 at the same county fair oval in 1:59.3. Finally, he posted a 1:56.4 winning effort at Scioto Down son June 27.
Always Take Points, a son of Arts Chip, qualified at Scioto Downs on June 23 in 1:56.2 in a wire-to-wire effort, brushing home in :28.4. Trained by Jon Holman, Jr., Always Takes Points will start from post six in the ninth OSS division (Race 14).
Lightning Onmyfeet, an Erv Miller-trainee, leaves from post nine in OSS division ten (Race 15). This son of McArdle qualified impressively at Pocono Downs on June 22, stopping the timer in 1:56.3, with a :27.4 final panel brush, besting his rivals by 3¼ lengths.
by Kimberly Rinker