Sophomore trotting colts vie in Ohio Sires Stakes

A pair of Ohio Sires Stakes for 3-year-old diagonally-gaited colts and geldings will be contested this evening at Northfield Park, with a first race post time of 6 pm, ET. Seventeen diagonally-gaited sophomores will line up behind the starting gate for these $50,000 events, scheduled as races three and 11.

Stallions represented by foals in these two OSS events including Dejarmbro (4 foals); Cash Hall, Manofmanymissions & My MVP (with 3 foals each); Break The Bank K (2 foals); Dontyouforgetit & Stormin Normand (one foal each).

Seven of tonight's contestants are homebreds, including: Pass The Vape (Race 3) was bred by owner Lionel Ray Waitker; Northmedo Mission (Race 3), bred by Northmedo Stable; Icingon De Cupcake (Race 3) was bred by partners William Jeff Johnson II and Douglas Millard; Banker Twentyfive (Race 3) was bred by owner Robert J. Key; Ride The Rails (Race 11) was bred by owner Robert J. Key; Magic MVP (Race 11) was bred and is owned by Midnight Stables; and Mission Accepted (Race 11) was bred by co-owner Knox Services.

Looking to continue his sweep of the OSS series is Mission Accepted, a Manofmanymissions colt trained and co-owned by Jeff Conger, along with partners Knox Services and David B. Wills. He'll start from post seven for driver Ryan Stahl in the second OSS division (Race 11).

This sophomore won Leg 1 at Miami Valley on May 6 in 1:53 and Leg 2 on June 15 at Scioto Downs in a career best 1:52. He also won a $25,000 Beal Elim at Pocono Downs in 1:53.2 and was sixth in the final, beaten only 3¼ lengths.

From 12 career starts Mission Accepted has racked up eight wins and a third with $268,300. He is the fifth foal out of the SJ's Photo mare Witty Girl 3,1:58.2f ($32,602) and is a half-brother to March Awareness (by Ken Warkentin) 7, 1:53 ($400,899) and to Witty's Winner (by Jailhouse Jesse) 5, 1:54.4s ($95,757).

The first OSS division (Race 3) is a wide-open event with no clear standout. Two O B Wonkenobi gets Sammy Widger in the sulky for trainer Earnie Gaskin from post five. This brown altered son by Dejarmbo is owned by Indiana partners Shara Weaver and Madeline Roche.

Two O B Wonkenobi finished second in the first two legs of this series and has four wins in nine starts this season and a 6-6-1 record from 15 lifetime starts, and $59,395 in career earnings. He is the fifth of six foals out of the Garland Lobell mare Shannon Hall 3, 1:54.1m ($108,787) and is a half-brother to Massive Drama (by Credit Winner) 4, 1:57h ($204,802).

by Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator