Veterans sizzle in Ohio Sires Stakes Championships

A quartet of $85,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Championships for state-bred veteran pacers and trotters were held on Saturday night, Sept. 4 at Scioto Downs.

Penpaperpaige got the night off to a speedy start with a victory in the Ohio Sires Stakes Veteran Mares Pace Championship, stopping the clock in 1:50.4 for driver Tyler Smith. The daughter of Pet Rock-Park Lane Paige-Art Major is trained by Tyler’s father Jeff and used a grinding, first-over journey to notch her 15th career victory as the 1-5 favorite. Shirley LeVin of Barrington Hills, IL owns and bred the 4-year-old mare.

“She’s everything to us; my dad (trainer Jeff Smith) has kept her sharp and this year she’s just done nothing wrong,” the younger Smith said in the Scioto winner’s circle. “I don’t think she’s stake to much but will just race pretty much in the opens.”

Penpaperpaige upped her career earnings to $423,252 with the win, which saw her best the late closing 60-1 longshot Stay Gold (Trevor Smith), with 6-1 Up Front Flor Ida (Aaron Merriman) third. The winner is the third foal of five out of the broodmare Park Lane Paige p,2, 1:54f ($113,810), making her a full sister to Parklane Cupid p, 4, 1:56.4f ($29,356).

PENPAPERPAIGE REPLAY

Mission Accepted easily bested his rivals with a front-stepping 1:52 performance with Chris Page driving for trainer Ron Burke in the Ohio Sires Stakes Veteran Horse Trot Championship. The 6-year-old son of Manofmanymissions grabbed his 13th career win in his 84th lifetime start and added the winner’s share of $42,500 to his already hefty bankroll of $1,054,007.

“I felt he was up to this performance as he’s just a fabulous horse and will be a good stallion,” said co-owner Dave Wills. “We’ll race him at Delaware and just play it by ear after that.”

Mission Accepted is co-owned by Burke Racing, breeder Knox Services, Wills and Weaver Bruscemi. The hard-trying Jailhouse Sam (Sandy Beatty) notched second-place honors at 7-2 odds, while 6-1 Pass The Vape was third for Trevor Smith.

MISSION ACCEPTED REPLAY

Mission Accepted is the fifth foal out of the prolific broodmare Witty Girl 3, 1:58.2f ($32,602) and is a full brother to Wittyville 3, 1:54.3f ($342,745); with half-siblings in March Awareness (by Ken Warkentin) 7, 1:53f ($452,154); Merry Ann (by Southwind Spirit) 2, 1:56h ($258,700); and Witty’s Winner (by Jailhouse Jesse) 5, 1:54.4s ($95,757).

Weslynn Quest, the 4-5 favorite, held on to capture the Ohio Sires Stakes Veteran Mares Trot Championship in a resounding 1:54.1 in a steady rainfall. Trained by Per Englom, the daughter of Manofmanymissions picked up career win 15 from 53 starts for owners Buckstone Land Livestock and John Barnard.

“She was very strong tonight and I’m very happy with the way she raced,” said winning driver Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. “I’m very thankful to get to drive nice horses like this mare.”

Weslynn Quest now has $414,826 in career earnings after besting rival 31-1 Pure Chance (Aaron Merriman) and 15-1 Kikimora (Josh Sutton). She is the second of three foals out of the Windsong’s Legacy mare Weslynn Legacy 4, 1:56.4s ($105,006) and is a half-sister to Weslynn Dancer (by Deweycheatumnhowe) 6, 1:53.1f ($451,200).

WESLYNN QUEST REPLAY

Heavy 1-5 favorite Ocean Rock dominated his rivals with a 1:51 clocking in the Ohio Sires Stakes Veteran Pace Championship with driver Danny Noble at the lines. The 4-year-old altered son of Rockin Amadeus grabbed the winner’s share of the $85,000 purse and pushed his career earnings to a hefty $659,122 for longtime Ohio breeder-owner Sandra Burnett.

“He’s been awesome since he’s come back home from racing out East,” said Noble. “The cheaper fractions early on in this race certainly helped his cause and he’ll be back at Scioto next week for the Ewart.”

Gold Digger King was second for driver Brett Miller as the 5-2 choice while Rose Run Ulysses, a 68-1 longshot, was third for Trevor Smith. Ocean Rock is the first foal out of the On The Attack mare Ocean Pearl p, 5, 1:53.2f ($143,637), and has a full brother in the gelding Ocean Blue 3, 1:52f ($43,240).

OCEAN ROCK REPLAY

For full race results, click here.

by Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator