Grove City, OH — Aaron Merriman and Chris Beaver teamed up to win two of the four $50,000 divisions in the Ohio Sires Stakes for 2-year-old colt trotters Monday evening (July 15) at MGM Northfield Park. The pair won the opener with Uncle Moneybags and the final division with Caviar Creek.

Uncle Moneybags held off a late-charging Silverton to win by a length in 1:59.3. Diane Wise photo.

Merriman took Uncle Moneybags to the lead off the gate and was making it look easy through the first half-mile with fractions of :29.4 and 1:00.3. As the field headed up the backstretch, Brett Miller pulled the favorite Rose Run Ari three-wide taking aim at the leader. Around the final turn, Rose Run Ari pulled even with Uncle Moneybags, but could not gain the lead.

After fighting off the challenge from Rose Run Ari down the stretch, Uncle Moneybags held off a late-charging Silverton and Ronnie Wrenn Jr. to win by a length in 1:59.3. Silverton was second with Rose Run Ari third.

It was the first win in two starts for Uncle Moneybags. Beaver co-owns the Uncle Peter-Moolah Begonia gelding with Barry Carter, VIP Internet Stable, and Tim Homan.

In the final division of the night, Merriman raced Caviar Creek to the lead but yielded to 1-5 favorite Whats Shakin and Ronnie Gillespie, settling into the pocket. Whats Shakin cut fractions of :29, :59, and 1:28.3 through the first three-quarters.

Around the final turn, Rose Run Arch and Wrenn swung wide to take a shot at the lead, but Merriman took Caviar Creek down the passing lane, blowing by Whats Shakin to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:58.4. It was the first win for the son of Triumphant Caviar-Box Cars. Rose Run Arch finished second while Whats Shakin faded to third.

Beaver co-owns Caviar Creek with Steve Zeehandelar, Leo Fleming, and Mark Schwartz.

In the second division, Lt Loverboy and Kurt Sugg grabbed the lead off the gate but watched as Chris Page and Rose Run Alex went by to lead after a :29.3 opening quarter. The lead didn’t last long as Lt Loverboy retook the lead and never looked back, cruising to an easy 2-1/2 length win in 1:58.3. Rose Run Alex was second with What A Buckeye finishing third.

Lt Loverboy has hit the board in all three starts, winning two. Daren Harvey trains the Long Tom-Fortheloveoflindy gelding for Wayne Mast Jr. and Callam Racing.

Quintuplet with Wrenn had an easy time in the third division as five of the seven starters made breaks. Quintuplet won by four lengths in 1:59.1 for his second win in as many starts. Seven Lick Tom finished second with Dublins Angel recovering to finish third.

Rosy Weaver trains Quintuplet, a son of What The Hill-Vandy’s Magic, for Mark Martin and Patricia Jury.

Ohio Sires Stakes action continues Wednesday night (July 17) at MGM Northfield Park with the third leg for 3-year-old filly trotters. The first race post time is 6 p.m.