by Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator

Dayton, OH — The top older horses in a trio of $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes (OSS) didn’t disappoint their backers as the 2016 season of the rich series for Ohio-sired horses drew to a close Saturday night (Oct. 15) at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway.

Favorites Final Breath, Dancin Yankee and Victory Is Coming all won their respective OSS divisions handily before a modest crowd at the 5/8ths mile oval, on the mild October evening with temperatures in the high 60’s.

Conrad Photo

Final Breath collected his seventh win of 2016 in OSS action at Dayton Raceway on Saturday.

Final Breath (5-2) and driver Josh Sutton took the OSS 4-year-old and up trot for horses and geldings with a 1:55.2 score. Trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr. for owner/breeder Duane Lowe, the 6-year-old son of Victory Sam lead at nearly every post to notch his seventh win of the season by a neck over I Know My Chip (Chris Page). Can’tcutthatchip (Dan Noble) got up for third.

The victory—the 27th of his career—pushed Final Breath’s seasonal earnings to $86,375 and his career earnings to $425,453.

Even though he was pushed to a blistering :25.3 first quarter, it wasn’t enough to stop 1-5 Dancin Yankee from taking the OSS test for older pacing geldings for the third straight year, this time in 1:52.2. Driven by Aaron Merriman for trainer Josh Green, the 8-year-old Yankee Cruiser stallion prevailed at every post, snapping off fractions of :54 and 1:22.3 before pacing his final quarter in :29.4 with a 3-1/2 length margin in front at the wire.

Hanky L (Greg Grismore) was second at 12-1, while 15-1 Arringarosa (Josh Sutton) was third.

This win upped Dancin Yankee’s career bankroll to $1,505,200 and his seasonal earnings to $127,329 for owners Richard Lombardo and L&J Racing LLC. He was bred by Elizabeth Yontz.

Trainer Ammon Hershberger harnessed 3-5 Victory Is Coming to her sixth straight victory in the OSS test for older trotting mares. The daughter of Victory Same-Norse Comer picked up career win 67 and seasonal win seven to booster her lifetime bank account to $698,659 for owners Betty and “Red” Shaw.

Sitting patiently in the garden spot behind even money choice Like Old Times (Chris Page), Victory Is Coming waited until the final turn to make her move, drawing off by nearly five lengths at the wire in 1:55.3. Sandy’s Victory (Kayne Kauffman) at 16-1, was six lengths back in third.

The 9-year-old Victory Is Coming was bred by Success Acres.