Two-Year-Old Fillies shine in Ohio Sires Stakes

Four $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes featuring 2-year-old pacing fillies were contested on a pleasant Friday evening, July 5 at Northfield Park. This was the first of four legs in the rich series for state-bred distaff side-wheelers.

Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., steered 7-1 Ellagator to a triumphant 1:54 victory by a quarter of a length after chasing down the leading 1-5 Rockmatic (Tony Hall) in the third OSS division. Looksgoodinaromper, a 25-1 longshot, was third for Chris Page. Owned by Howard Taylor and trained by Chris McGuire, the daughter of Western Vintage is the first foal out of the unraced Total Truth mare Dame Truth. Bred by Nancy Johansson, this was Ellagator's first career win in her pari-mutuel debut.

Artful Dancer took the first division handily in a wire-to-wire 1:55.2 clocking for owners Jay Mossbarger and Steve Carter. It was the second lifetime start for the daughter of Yankee Cruiser, who is the first foal out of the Sportswriter mare Dancin Caroll p, 2, Q1:55.1f ($81,646). Trained by Steve Carter, Artful Dancer was bred by Midland Acres and D. & C.C. Drake. This precocious filly, who was the even money favorite, bested 3-1 Arya Again (Ryan Stahl) by half a length, with 7-1 Odds On Athens (Peter Wrenn) getting up for third.

Artful Dancer

The second OSS division saw Treasurethosechips (Greg Grismore) use similar tactics to win by a neck over 6-5 Sara Jane (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) in 1:55.1. The Breeze (Chris Page) was a surprising third at 19-1. Trained by Jeff Nisonger for John Van Horn, the Art's Chip lass is the third foal out of the Jenna's Beach Boy mare Give Me Points p, 4, 1:57.3 ($10,650) and is a full sister to Always Take Points p, 3, 1:53.4f ($27,005). Treasurethosechips was second in an Ohio Fair Stake at Circleville on June 17 and now sports a bankroll of $20,701. She was bred by Ken Cohen and Pacey Mindlin.

McMarkle Sparkle, the 1-9 favorite, did not disappoint her backers as the homebred McArdle lass paced to a respectable 1:54.3 victory–the fastest clocking of the four OSS contests. Trained by Jim Arledge, Jr., for Laura and Paul Baker of Galloway, Ohio, McMarkle Sparkle was a front-stepping winner for driver Brett Miller who prevailed by 1¼ lengths over 15-1 Hoochie Girl (Chris Lems) with 80-1 longshot Let Me Be Clear (Chris Page) grabbing third place money. McMarkle Sparkle is out of the Towner's Big Guy mare It's Ladies Nite p, 3, 1:51s ($56,535)–herself a former OSS victress. The filly has half-siblings in Alwaysagoodthing (by Metropolitan) p, 4, 1:52.3f ($98,525) and It's a Deal (by Metropolitan) p, 4, 1:57.2h ($21,429).

McMarkle Sparkle

by Kimberly Rinker, Ohio Standardbred Development Administrator