by Kimberly Rinker, Administrator, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund

Columbus, OH — A trio of $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes — each clocked in 1:51.2 — were contested on Saturday night (June 10) at Scioto Downs. This was Leg 2 of four in the lucrative series for Ohio-bred 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

Conrad photo

McThriller captured the first OSS division handily with Chris Page at the lines.

Crowd favorite (3-2) McThriller captured the first OSS division handily with Chris Page at the lines. Conditioned by Brian Brown, the altered son of McArdle led at every quarter-mile marker to notch his first victory of 2017 in his third try.

“I talked to Brian (trainer Brown) before the race and he said he thought this colt would be tough to beat off the front end,” Page offered.

Nr Holdings, LLC, TLP Stable and Howard Taylor own McThriller, who upped his career earnings to $155,522 with this latest triumph. Bred by Gbw Breeding Farms, Inc., McThriller finished a neck in front of the late-closing Lightning Onmyfeet (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), while Sugar Island (Mark Evers) was third, 6-1/2 lengths back at odds of 36-1.

Brown also harnessed Barnabas to win OSS division two. The brown McArdle gelding was steered by Ronnie Wrenn Jr. to a near-perfect neck victory over rival Major Nemesis, who had led throughout until the final yards for driver Tony Hall. Mr McDreamy (Aaron Merriman) picked up show honors.

“This horse had a long ship up from Florida and just wasn’t himself earlier this season,” Wrenn acknowledged. “But he was awesome in his last start and raced back tonight just as strong.”

A winner of six races in his career now and $108,314, Barnabas — who towers over his rivals at 17-plus hands tall — was bred by Hickory Lane Farm’s Kevin Greenfield and is owned by the Ohio quartet of Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco, Richard Lombardo and William Robinson.

Drunk On Your Love utilized come-from-behind tactics to triumph in the third OSS division with Dan Noble in the bike. The Foreclosure N gelding is conditioned by Jim Pollock, Jr. for Mark Ford and Jason Settlemoir and now has seven career wins and $123,500 in his lifetime bank account.

“This colt just keeps getting better with maturity,” Noble offered. “He was a very good colt as a 2-year-old and has continued to mature into an even stronger 3-year-old.”

Drunk On Your Love was all alone at the wire, some 6-1/4 lengths in front of 14-1 Banderbear (John Campbell) and 7-5 McRaven (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.).

Ohio Sires Stakes action continues Saturday (June 17) at Northfield Park with 3-year-old filly trotters; and 3-year-old colt trotters battling on Monday (June 19) at Scioto Downs.