Young trotters vie in Ohio Sires Stakes

Harness racing fans will get their first look at the next generation of champions when eight $40,000 divisions of 2-year-old Ohio Sires Stakes trotters go postward in the first leg of the four-round series on Friday night, July 3 at Northfield Park.

The Cleveland half-miler will play host to three divisions of diagonally gaited Buckeye-bred colts and geldings and five divisions for fillies, with a first race post time of 6 pm, ET.

Ohio-registered stallions represented in these OSS events include 19 sired by Uncle Peter; 11 by Triumphant Caviar; six by My MVP; four each by Break The Bank K and Full Count; three each by Dontyouforgetit and Southwind Spirit; two each by Cash Hall, Coraggioso, Dejarmbro and Deep Chip; and one each by Big Rigs, Credit Fashion, Jitterbug, Winning Fireworks, Wishing Stone and Victory Sam.

Swizzle Hanover in the first OSS filly division (Race 1) deems watching. The daughter of Uncle Peter, out of the Chocolatier mare Seducedbychocolate, 3, 1:54.3M ($174,558) has the pedigree credentials to be a good filly. Co-owned and trained by Randy Bendis for Reed Broadway, Swizzle Hanover scored a pair of winning qualifiers at The Meadows on June 11 and 25 with Mike Wilder at the lines, clocked in 2:03 and 2:00.1 respectively. She is a half-sister to North Express (by Muscle Massive) 4, 1:54.1f ($61,573); Sweettooth Hanover (by Donato Hanover 2, 1:58.1f ($48,367); and Sweet Tart Hanover (by Donato Hanover) 4, 1:57f ($11,280).

The second OSS filly division (Race 5) is a bit more wide open, however the Cash Hall filly She Loves To Jiggle bares a look after having scored an impressive, front-end winning qualifier in 2:02 at Hawthorne on June 21 under the watchful eye of trainer Jim Eaton. She Loves To Jiggle is out of the Conway Hall mare Jiggles ($4,657) and is owned by her trainer, Robert Silberberg, J. Schwartz, and the estate of Phil Langley.

Mama Knows Best hails from the powerful Canadian-based stable of trainer Jason McGinnis and heads up the third filly division (Race 7) for owner Thestable Mamaknowsbest. This daughter of Uncle Peter finished third in a Woodbine qualifier on June 11 before winning her debut on June 23 at Northfield in 1:58.2 as the favorite with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. at the controls. She draws the rail in this OSS contest with Wrenn, Jr. in the bike again and will be the one to beat. Mama Knows Best is the eighth foal out of the Andover Hall mare Europass 3, Q1:58.2F ($6,050) and is a full sister to Uncle Amos 3, 1:59.1 ($26,127) and a half-sister to Passing Jetta (by Lear Jetta) 3, 1:55.4f ($144,199); Money Crazed (by Crazed) 3, 1:57.3f ($30,738).

Owner-breeder Sandra Burnett's Ozma looks serious in the fourth OSS filly division (Race 9). Trained by Chris Beaver, this Triumphant Caviar Lass is the second foal out of the former OSS winner Evanora 3, 1:56.3h ($115,348), herself a daughter of Pilgrim's Taj. Ozma scored a winning qualifier at Delaware on June 11 in 2:02 before posting a 2:02.4 clocking in a third-place finish in a Northfield qualifier on June 25. She benefits from the rail in this eight-horse field and will have Aaron Merriman in the sulky.

Rose Run Whitney is the most experienced freshman filly that will line up behind the Northfield gate on Friday in the final OSS filly contest (Race 11), having scored two impressive qualifiers at The Meadows for trainer Ronnie Burke before winning a conditioned event at Northfield on June 28 in 2:01.2. The daughter of Uncle Peter will be steered by Kayne Kauffman from post three. Rose Run Whitney is the ninth foal out of the Angus Hall mare Stonebridge Dancer 3, 1:57.3F ($34,902) and is a half-sister to: Rose Run Sydney (by Triumphant Caviar) 4, 1:54.1 ($597,703); Magic Dancing (by Kadabra) 3, 1:59.3f ($52,664); Rose Run Ida (by Triumphant Caviar) 3, 2:00.1h ($53,736); Rose Run Urban (by Triumphant Caviar) 3, 1:57f ($43,709); Magic Hat (by Kadabra) 4,Q1:57.3s ($38,951); and Whitegloves (by Kadabra) 4, 1:57s ($33,145).

In the first of the three OSS colt trotting divisions (Race 3), Admiral Allstar starts from post three for trainer Edward Miller. This son of My MVP is the only youngster in this contest with pari-mutuel raceway experience, having finished in a dead-heat for third on June 17 in a Northfield overnight for driver Kurt Sugg after having won his Northfield qualifier on May 28 in 2:03.2. Bred by the Lmn Bred Stables, Admiral Allstar was clocked in 1:59.2 in that start for owners Beccy Sugg, Watson Harness Racing and Mary Stucky. This gelding is the seventh foal out of the unraced Conway Hall mare Minor Skirmish and has half-siblings in: Kerfuffle Cookie (by Chip Chip Hooray) 3, 1:56.1h ($153,840); Allie's Gift (by Holiday Road) 5, 1:54.4f ($138,842); Susie D (by Uncle Peter) 3, 1:55.4h ($57,741); Special Agent Man (by Federal Flex) 3, Q1:59.1s ($45,037); Bofracas (by Dejarmbro) 2, 2:05.4h ($14,384); and Mybigbrowneyedgirl (by Chip Chip Hooray) 2, Q2:05.2h ($11,914).

Shouldaknownbetter, a gelded son of Deep Chip bred by the Gbw breeding farms and owned by Canadian trainer Shane Arsenault, is the clear standout in the second OSS trotting division (Race 6) for colts and geldings. This youngster qualified at Woodbine on June 12 and followed that up with his pari-mutuel debut at that same oval, where he trotted to 1:57 triumph, drawing off by four lengths over his nearest rivals. Shoudaknownbetter is the fourth foal out of the Amigo Hall mare Lexis Electra 5, 1:59h ($86,195), and is a half-brother to TT's D-Jay (by Dejarmbro) 6, 1:54.3 ($98,447) and Urs Ifu Want It (by Uncle Peter) 2,Q, 2:04.3s ($15,674).

Finally, in a near wide-open third OSS colt division (Race 12), both Phineas and Fire Cross appear to be well-placed to earn their first career triumphs. Phineas, who is owned by breeder Ray Hephner, scored a pair of impressive qualifiers at Northfield, winning his last one on June 18 in 2:03. Sired by Uncle Peter, he is the second foal out of the Sierra Kosmos mare Baba S, 7, 1:59.4h ($57,914) and is a half-brother to Erie (by Chip Chip Hooray) 5, 1:58.1h ($18,645).

Fire Cross had back-to-back qualifying victories at Scioto Downs, clocked in 2:01.4 and 2:02.1. He was bred by Steve Stewart and is owned by Miller Racing Stable, Horseplay Racing Stable, M. Hayes and Darmofal Racing Ent. Fire Cross is a son of Triumphant Caviar and the fifth foal out of the Muscles Yankee mare Classical Mary, 3, 1:55.2 ($207,811) and is a full brother to Fraser Ridge 4, 1:52.1f ($522,479) and a half-brother to Guy Fox (by Glidemaster) 4, 1:55.2f ($143,656) and to Willoughby (by Dejarmbro) 3, Q 1:59.1f ($25,749).

by Kimberly Rinker, Ohio Standardbred Development Administrator