Heart Of Chewbacca captured the first of two $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for 2-year-old harness racing pacing colts on Saturday night, Aug. 8 at Scioto Downs.
The Ronnie Burke-trainee took the lead from the start for driver Danny Noble and never looked back, flying through fractions of :26.3, :55.1 and 1:23.1 before unleashing a :28 final kick to score his third lifetime triumph in a blistering 1:51.1 (equalling the track record and setting a national seasons mark for a 2-year-old pacing colt on a five-eighths mile oval).
The striking black colt by Bring On The Beach-Jt’s Chewbacca-Four Starzzz Shark is owned by Dennis Owens and Norman Rae Racing and left the gate as the 1-9 favorite. Bred by Spring Haven Farm, Heart Of Chewbacca now has $64,375 in career earnings. The gutsy I’m Sorry Man was second at 8-1 for Kayne Kauffman, while another Burke trainee, the 23-1 longshot Barnard Hanover, grabbed show honors with Chris Page driving.
Hardt At Work and driver-trainer Mike Micallef got the best of 4-5 favorite Charlie May (Danny Noble) in the second OSS contest, clocked in a new lifetime mark of 1:52.2. Charlie May had led at nearly every step of the mile, but in the final strides Hardt At Work snuck up the inside to best his rival handily. Four-Star Flash, a 35-1 longshot, was third for Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.
Owned by Brett Boyd Racing and Anthony Formosa, the son of Manhardt-River Bend Raider-Keystone Raider picked up career victory three in his fifth career starts. Bred by Gene L. Miller, Hardt At Work now has $65,500 in his bankroll. The brown gelding captured Leg One in 1:55.1 before finishing second in Leg Two to Charlie May.
by Kimberly Rinker,Ā OSDF Administrator