Grove City, OH — The Ohio Harness Horseman’s Association will honor their three-year-old champions on Saturday, January 19 at the Marriot Columbus.

Lather Up is Ohio’s three-year-old colt pacer of the year. Conrad Photo

Due diligence and unwavering belief paid off handsomely for breeder/owners Gary Iles (a retired barber) and his wife Barbara of Harrington, Delaware as their homebred mare Pocket Comb was partnered with Delaware, Ohio’s Sugar Valley Farm’s I’m Gorgeous (Bettors Delight) and produced OHHA three-year-old pacer of the year Lather Up in 2018. Lather Up posted a career-best time of 1:48.1 at The Meadowlands during his campaign.  

Under the tutelage of Clyde Francis and driver Montrell Teague the colt visited the winners’ circle in 11 out of his 18 starts and banked $893,512 for the season.

Baron Remy’s spectacular season led her to be Ohio’s three-year-old filly pacer of the year. Conrad Photo.

It is Midland Acres of Bloomingburg, Ohio’s Yankee Cruiser‘s three-year-old daughter Baron Remy that garners the best of Ohio’s pacing fillies award by virtue of her statistics of five wins including a lifetime mark of 1:51.3 at Northfield in the $125,000 Courageous Lady, as well as capturing the $275,000 Ohio Sire Stake Final at Eldorado Scioto Downs, as she bankrolled $413,713 for the year. Bred by Baron Racing LLC of Horsham, PA she is out of Riley Character by Shady Character and is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Silva, Purnel, & Libby, Lawrence Karr, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

Trained by Harness Racing’s all-time money-winning conditioner Ron Burke, the driving duties for her 20 starts were handled by Mt Vernon, Ohio’s Chris Page, Northfield’s former leading driver Matt Kakaley as well as Dover Downs’ Corey Callahan.

Two O B Wonkenobi was named as Ohio’s three-year-old colt trotter of the year. Conrad photo.

Two O B Wonkenobi, Madeline Roche of Carmel, Indiana and Shara Weaver of Zionsville, Indiana’s altered son of Hickory Lane Farm of Findlay, Ohio’s award-winning stallion Dejarmbro is the OHHA 2018 3-year-old trotting champ. Foaled at Pond-A-Acres in New Haven, Indiana and trained by long-time Vermont “trottin’ man” Ernie Gaskin now of Anderson, Indiana, the Garland Lobell mare Shannon Hall gelding earned $247,700 in 2018 while taking 8 of his 16 starts and an impressive 13 times on the board tally.

Driven mostly by Hoosier Park’s Sam Widger, Northfield Park’s Ronnie Wrenn Jr. has handled him as well and has taken his lifetime mark of 1:53.2 at Hoosier with an equally fast 1:53.2 win at Eldorado Scioto Downs.

Impinktoo earned the title of Ohio’s three-year-old filly trotter of the year. Conrad photo.

Champion Impinktoo, bred and raised by Jacob and Jay Mossbarger at their Midland Farms nursery in Bloomsburg, Ohio is the 2018 OHHA award winner for 3-year-old trotting fillies. A Manofmanmissions half-sister to the 2015 Hambletonian winner Pinkman, the daughter of Margie Seelster (by Angus Hall) earned accolades in her own right for owners Billy Walters & Joe McLead of Delaware, RTK Racing Stable LLC (Dr. Jason Melilo) of Powell, and Jay Mossbarger of Washington Court House when she trotted to an outstanding time of 1:49.4 at Lexington, KY’s historic Red Mile with driver Yannick Gingras.”

Originally brought to the races by the late Jim Dailey of Mechanicsburg, Ohio this lifetime winner of $423,860 has taken tabs on all size tracks for trainer Ron Burke including a mark of 1:55.4 at Delaware and 1:55.4 in the $275,000 Super Night at Eldorado Scioto Downs, both with Kayne Kauffman in the sulky. After a stellar Ohio stakes career, she was sold at the Lexington Mixed Sale in Lexington, KY in October 2018 as renowned owner/breeder Canadian Herb Liverman purchased the lass for $300,000.

These exceptional 3-year-olds, as well as the 2-year-old award winners and the aged pacer and trotter, will be honored at the OHHA Awards Banquet which will be held January 19th, 2019 at:

Marriot Columbus University Area
3100 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, OH 43202

Tickets are $30 each and must be reserved by January 4th. Click here for the reservation form or call in to the OHHA office at 614-221-3650. Plan to attend this very enjoyable event as the Ohio 2018 Horse of the Year will be announced at the banquet!