$430,000 Ohio Sires Stakes at Miami Valley

Grove City, OH – Two Ohio freshman harness racing divisional winners will start the defense of their titles in the opening leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes, on Saturday, May 4 at Miami Valley Gaming.  Seaside Diva (Downbytheseaside), the Two-Year-Old Filly Pacer of the Year has won her first two starts of the year while Clever Cody (The Panderosa), the Two-Year-Old Colt Pacer of the Year will make his first start of the year.

There will be a single $100,000 division for the filly pacers, filly trotters, and colt trotters, and two $65,000 divisions for the colt pacers.

Seaside Diva will have nine rivals in the filly pace as she looks to remain undefeated this year.  Trained by Ron Burke, Seaside Diva won the James Hackett Memorial last month.  The 3-1 favorite drew the rail and will have Chris Page in the bike.

The 4-1 second choice, No Foolin April (Nob Hill High) will be in the two-hole with Brett Miller.  No Foolin April has won two of her five starts.  Adam Short trains the filly.

Bath Bomb is 5-1 on the morning line.  The daughter of Lather Up has won both of her starts this year for trainer Per Engblom.  Tyler Smith will pilot Bath Bomb.

Eight two-old-filly trotters will go behind the gate with Jurassic Hattie (Volstead) as the early 2-1 favorite.  She won the James K Memorial in April at Miami Valley Gaming.  She is trained by Eric Nesselroad.  Miller will drive Jurassic Hattie.

She will be challenged by Iam Independent and Legacy Affair.

Ron Burke trains and Chris Page drives Iam Independent.  The Triumphant Caviar filly has two third-place finishes in her two starts.  She is the second choice at 5-2.

Legacy Affair has made three starts in 2024 and has finished second in all three.  Trace Tetrick will drive the Duke Sugg trainee.  Legacy Affair is 4-1 on the morning line.

The colt trot is expected to be a wide-open affair without Tennessee Tom.  The winner of the James Hackett Memorial is not entered in the first OSS leg.

Royal Precedent, the runner-up to Tennessee Tom in both the Hackett elimination and final is the early favorite at 2-1.  Jodi Schillaci trains the son of Creatine.  Trace Tetrick will drive Royal Precedent.

Four horses are tied for second choice at 5-1.  Smooth Talkin, Rose Run Zoom, E-Pass, and Spaaaanzano

Smooth Talkin and Rose Run Zoom are trained by Rosy Weaver.  Tyler Smith will drive Smooth Talkin in her first race of the season, while Ronnie Wrenn Jr. drives Rose Run Zoom who finished second in his only start of the year.

Chris Beaver trains E-Pass and Spaaaanzano.  Trevor Smith will be in the bike with E-Pass, who has one win in three starts.  Aaron Merriman gets the call with Spaaaanzano who will be making his first start of the year.

In the first division for colt pacers, Clever Cody is the 9-5 morning line favorite.  Merriman will drive him for Dr. Ian Moore.  Clever Cody won six of eight races last year.

Jannelle Granny is the 2-1 second choice.  The Betty Clegg trainee has hit the board in all three starts this year winning two.  Miller will drive the Fear The Dragon colt.

Page will drive the 5-1 third choice, Downbythedanceclub, for trainer Ron Burke.  The Downbytheseaside gelding has hit the board twice in three starts, winning once.

Rose Run Zane, the winner of four of six starts this year, is the 2-1 favorite in the second division for colt pacers.  Dan Venier trains the Racing Hill gelding.  Austin Hanners gets the drive.

Jeremy Smith will drive the 3-1 second choice Fear The Image.  Randy Smith trains the son of Fear The Dragon.  Fear The Image has a third-place finish in two starts.

The third choice is also a son of Fear The Dragon.  Paris’ Dragon is 4-1 on the morning line.  Dan Noble will drive for his wife Christi.

The first race post time for the Derby Day 14-race card is noon.

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

by Frank Fraas, for the OHHA