Ohio Sires Stakes spotlight 3yo Pacing Colts

Twenty-two harness racing 3-year-old pacing colts and gelding will vie in three $40,000 divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes on Saturday night, August 13 at Northfield Park. First race post time is 6 pm, ET.

The 22 laterally-gaited sophomores are competing in Leg 4 of the series, which culminates with the $250,000 Super Night Championship, set for Saturday, Sept. 3 at this same half-mile oval. The series finale championships on Super Night are divided by age, gender and gait and feature Ohio's top Buckeye-bred performers.

From Saturday's entries in OSS action, a full 19 are geldings while three colts are set to vie. The stallion Big Bad John is represented in these events by five combatants, while Feelin' Friskie has four progeny competing, and World Of Rocknroll and I'm Gorgeous have three each. Woodstock has two sophomores going postward, with Canyon Wind, Charley Barley, Metropolitan and Pine Valley each having one son in the fray.

Brian Brown will harness the Big Bad John gelding Whataboy from post seven in the first OSS division (Race 3) for owners Carl Howard of Powell, OH; Gerrie Tucker, Montreal, QC, CA and RBH Ventures Inc., New York, NY. Whataboy captured Leg 2 on June 11 at Scioto Downs in wire-to-wire fashion in 1:52, drawing off from his rivals by nearly five lengths. He then finished second by a head to Winwood Mac on July 16 at Scioto in Leg 3, clocked in 1:52.1. A winner of $116,554 lifetime, Whataboy was bred by Florida-based Dm Stables LLC.

Canadia's Bakin starts from the rail in this same division for trainer Steve Carter and owners Chuck Grubbs of Louisville, KY; Robert Reid, Sheila Hummel and Jacob Beard-all from Mansfield, OH. The son of Big Bad John is riding a three-race win streak coming into this contest-having scored resounding triumphs at Xenia, Piketon and Lebanon in Ohio Fair Stakes competition. A winner of $96,832 in his career, Canadia's Bakin won the first two legs of this series handily, in 1:54.2 on May 7 at Miami Valley Raceway and in 1:52 at Scioto on June 11. He was bred by the Ohio-based Lmn Bred Stables.

Winwood Mac, a Ronnie Burke trainee, has been first, second and third in his OSS legs this season, and heads up the second OSS division (Race 5) from post two. The son of Canyon Wind is owned by Burke in partnership with Weaver Bruscemi of Cannonsburg, PA and Philip Collura of Mountain Township, PA and has $79,065 in seasonal earnings, after amassing $38,483 during his freshman campaign. His career mark of 1:50.2 came in his last start, a $55,000 Ohio Fair Stake at Scioto on July 30. He was bred by the Winwood Farm of Michigan.

Danny Collins will bridle up Hustling Charley in this same event from post six. Collins leases the Charley Barley colt along with Ryan Holton of Etna, OH. Hustling Charley has four wins this season in nine starts, including a 1:51.3 career best score in OSS Leg 3 at Scioto on July 16, when he prevailed by 3½ lengths over his rivals. A winner of $99,562 lifetime, Hustling Charley was bred by Ohio's Lisa Ezzo.

The Bill Dailey trained Gotmoneyinmypocket appears to be well poised for another triumph from post three in the third OSS division (Race 12). The homebred son of Feelin Friskie has earned $145,098 lifetime for Jerry Zosel of Columbus, OH and Kathy Ratcliff of Orient, OH. Gotmoneyinmypocket's last victory came at Scioto on July 16 in Leg 3, when he tripped the timer in a hasty 1:50.3. He also won Leg 1 of this series on May 7 at Miami Valley in 1:53.3.

Smoke Up Johnny was fourth in Legs 3 and 1 of this series, but captured Leg 2 on June 11 in 1:52.2. Trained by Doug Hinklin for the Parent Racing Stable LLC of Holland, OH, the son of Big Bad John starts from post six in this same division. Smoke Up Johnny was bred by Indiana-based Conquest Acres and has $111,327 in his career coffers, with five wins and two seconds in 18 starts.

Ohio Sires Stakes returns to Northfield Park on Monday, August 15 with 2-year-old fillies in the spotlight. Five divisions of pacing fillies and four divisions of trotting fillies will vie in Leg 3 of the series for these young distaffs, with a 6 pm, ET post. On Tuesday, August 16, 2-year-old pacing and trotting colts will go postward at Scioto Downs with a matinee post of 2 pm, ET.

by Kimberly Rinker