by Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator

Columbus, OH — Thirty-eight Ohio-bred 2-year-old pacing fillies are set to line up behind the Scioto Down starting gate Friday night (July 6) in four $40,000 divisions of the Ohio Sires Stakes, with a first race post time of 6:30 p.m.

Of the Ohio-registered stallions represented, Pet Rock has the most foals in attendance with 10, while Dragon Again has five, McArdle four, and Big Bad John and Rockin Amadeus with three youngsters each competing. Those stallions with two foals each in these events include Beachtrea, The Panderosa, Western Vintage and Yankee Cruiser. Allamerican Native, Art Official, Charley Barley and Feelin Friskie all have one foal each in OSS competition.

Of the 38 fillies going postward, a full 16 are homebreds. Conditioner Brian Brown has the most distaffs vying with six, while Virgil Morgan Jr. has three in these events.

Gypsy Merlot heads up the first OSS test (race one), for breeder/owner/trainer Al Tomison from post eight. This Feelin Friskie lass won a Hoosier Park qualifier on June 30, clocked in a wire-to-wire 1:55.4. This speedy homebred is out of the Western Maverick mare Bronwen Seelster p,3,1:56 ($31,279) and has a half-sibling in Dublin Rose (by Major In Art) p,3,1:52.2s ($279,486).

Mi Nina Bonita, a Yankee Cruiser lass, leaves from post nine in this same event. Owned by Robert Siegelman, Robert Horowitz and Juan Vasquez, Mi Nina Bonita hails from the Brian Brown stable. A $7,000 yearling purchase at Harrisburg last fall, she won a Meadowlands qualifying race on June 23 in 1:56.4. Bred by Barry Rubenstein Farms, Mi Nana Bonita is out of the prolific Jate Lobell mare Cheyenne Adrienne p,2,1:53.1 ($128,614) and is a half-sister to Cheyenne Jeffrey (by Bettor’s Delight) p,1:52.3h ($478,885); Yo Cheyenne Rocky (by Rocknroll Hanover) p,4,1:50f ($284,557); and Boogiewoogiebrian (by Rocknroll Hanover) p,1:53.2h ($158,140).

Blueaintmycolor starts from post five in this first OSS division for trainer Kent Sherman and owners Ryan Stahl and Robert Dubovec. An $18,000 yearling purchase from the Ohio Select Sale, this daughter by The Panderosa won a Northfield Park qualifier on June 28 in 1:58.2 by 10 lengths for these connections. Bred by Spring Haven Farm, Blueaintmycolor is out of the unraced Jate Lobell mare Bolera Athena, and is a half-sister to the 52-race winner Keemosabe (by Squaw’s Fella) p,3,1:51f ($310,336) and Gleneagles (by Mysticism) p,1:54f ($128,832).

Carmen Ohio heads up the second OSS test (race three) from the eight-hole for trainer Brian Brown and owners Milton Leeman (also the breeder), Steve Manning, Brent Meizlish and William Calvert. Sired by The Panderosa, out of the unraced Dragon Again mare Hufflepuff, Carmen Ohio won a Scioto Downs maiden on June 27 in a front-stepping effort in 1:57.1. She is a full sister to Slick Mick p,3,1:51.4f ($106,040).

Officially My Way, an Art Official daughter, hails from post four in this same race for owner/trainer Ron Randall. This filly has won three starts in a row, including a pair of Ohio county fair stakes and a Scioto Downs qualifier on June 18 in 1:58.1. An $8,000 yearling purchase from the Blooded Horse Sale, Officially My Way was bred by Frank Dettore Horse Racing, and is the third foal out of the Dream Away mare Eagle Way p,1:52.3f ($601,973).

Twinsburg certainly looks like the one to beat from post three in the third OSS test (race 10). This McArdle lass, who is conditioned by Canadian-based trainer Jason McGinnis, won a Woodbine Mohawk Park qualifier on June 9 in 2:00.4 before finishing third in 1:54.4 in a $10,500 Woodbine Mohawk Park race on June 25. Owned by Brock O’Brien and bred by Steve Stewart and John Carver, Twinsburg was a $12,000 purchase at the Ohio Select Yearling Sale last fall. She is out of the Life Sign mare Fastidious Hanover p,4,1:54 ($24,286) and is a half-sister to Right Right (by Cole Muffler) p,3,1:52.4 ($497,370) and Sunken Treasure (by Somebeachsomewhere) p,3,1:52f ($121,330).

My Hearts Rockin leaves from the nine-hole in this same race for owner/breeder James Joyner and trainer C. Brian Loney. This Rockin Amadeus lass has won a pair of Northfield Park qualifiers on June 14 (in 2:00.3) and June 21 (in 2:01.1) by 10 lengths in a gate-to-wire effort. My Hearts Rockin is the first foal out of the Nobleland Sam mare My Sweet Lorelei p,4,1:55.2h ($121,751).

The fourth and final OSS division (race 12) is perhaps the most competitive of this quartet. Rose Run Uptowngirl hails from the powerful Ron Burke Stable and is a Dragon Again lass, out of the Western Terror mare Victoria Gallery ($2,400). Owned by Burke Racing, Phil Collura, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi, Rose Run Uptowngirl won a maiden race at The Meadows in wire-to-wire fashion on June 19 in 1:53.4, with a :27.3 final brush by 11-3/4 lengths. She starts from post three.

Queen Of The Pride starts from post five for trainer Kevin Lare and owner Frank Chick. Bred by Brad Wallace, this McArdle lass won a $13,000 overnight race at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in 1:56 on June 26. She is the fourth foal out of the Western Ideal mare Lionness Hanover p,2,1:53 ($21,280) and is a half-sister to Roaring To Go (by Art Major) p,2,1:50.4 ($421,999).

Adorabella is another with a solid shot in this race, who starts from post seven for trainer/driver Danny Noble. This homebred daughter by Pet Rock, who is owned by Vincent Costa Jr., has won three straight races thus far in her brief career — two Scioto Downs qualifiers (in 1:57.1 and 1:56.2) and an Ohio Fair stake at Circleville, when she was clocked in 2:02.3. Adorabella is the second foal out of the Art Major mare Bella Marta p,4,1:53.2f ($122,499).

Ohio Sires Stakes action continues Saturday night (July 7) at Northfield Park with 3-year-old colt pacers going postward.