Three freshman filly trotters find the winners circle

Grove City, OH – Three freshman filly trotters found the harness racing winners circle for the first time in their careers in first leg action of the Ohio Sires Stakes Sunday night at MGM Northfield Park.  Each division carried a purse of $40,000.

In the first division, Smokinhotirishgirl and Anthony MacDonald grabbed the early lead over the sloppy track cutting fractions of :29.1, 1:00, and 1:29.2.

As the field rounded the final turn, Smokinhotirishgirl went off stride setting up a stretch run battle between Jumping The Line and Cali Red (Triumphant Caviar).

Jumping The Line and Billy Davis Jr. grabbed the lead for a moment, but Cali Red, the 4-5 favorite and Aaron Merriman pulled ahead at the top of the stretch and held on to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:00.

Chris Beaver trains and co-owns the Triumphant Caviar filly with Sandra Burnett. Cali Red adds the win to a third-place finish earlier this year in her two starts.

Jumping The Line finished second with She’s Loveable third.

CALI RED REPLAY

In the second division, Sliding Sister (Uncle Peter) making her debut sat fourth for most of the race until Chris Page took her three-side around the final turn to grab the lead.  Sliding Sister held off a late charge from Rose Run Yolanda to win by three-quarters of a length in 2:00.2.

Ron Burke trains the daughter of Uncle Peter for the Burke Racing Stables, RAS Racing, Hatfield Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi.

Rose Run Yolanda was second with Along In Time third.

SLIDING SISTER REPLAY

In the final division Truly Relentless (Long Tom) went gate-to-wire to win for the first time this year.  Chris Lems took the Long Tom filly to the lead off the gate and never looked back, cruising to a 2¾ length win in 1:57.4.

Scott Cox trains Truly Relentless, who has hit the board in all three starts this year, for Richard Gutnick, Thomas Pontone, and Joseph Lozito. who

Swinging Senorita finished second with third going to Global Girl.

TRULY RELENTLESS REPLAY

The first leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes for two-year-olds wraps up tomorrow at MGM Northfield Park with three divisions of two-year-old colt and gelding trotters.  First race post time is 6:00 PM.

For complete race results, click here.

by Frank Fraas, for the OHHA