by Kimberly Rinker, Administrator, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund

Columbus, OH — Three $40,000 divisions of Ohio-bred filly trotters will line up behind the Northfield Park starting gate on Sunday night (May 29) in the second leg of Ohio Sires Stakes for 3-year-olds. First race post time is 6 p.m. (EDT).

The first leg of Ohio Sires Stakes was contested May 6 at Miami Valley Raceway, with 27 horses of this age, gender and gait entered into three divisions. Overall, 69 sophomore trotting fillies were nominated to the first and second leg of this series, with 71 being nominated to the third and fourth legs of OSS contests.

In regards to the number of OSS participants nominated by stallions standing in the Buckeye State, Dejarmbro topped the list in the trotting ranks with 58 nominees, followed by Triumphant Caviar with 29, Chip Chip Hooray with 22, Woodstock with 13, Full Count with 12 and Break The Bank K with nine.

His Highness garnered six nominees, while Amigo Hall, And Away We Go, Hard Rock N Roll, and Trainforthefuture had five each. Big Rigs, Lion Hunter, Tom Cango and Victory Sam each had four nominees. Those Ohio-based stallions with three nominees to their credit include Cayenne Turbo, Pilgrims Taj and Royal Strength.

Bite The Taxman, Iron Duke, Keystone Nordic, Rompaway Wally, and Southwind Wrangler each had two of their progeny nominated to the OSS program, while All In Hall, Home Stretch, Ilooklikemymom, Lou’s Legacy, Manhattan, OU Man, Rose Run Hooligan, Southfork and Steven One all had one nominee each in the trotting ranks.

Conrad photo

Consolidator won her 2016 debut in the first leg of Ohio Sires Stakes action on May 6 at Miami Valley Raceway in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:57.4.

Heading up the first $40,000 division (race five) of diagonally-gaited specialists is the Jim Arledge, Jr.-trained Consolidator. Owned by the Green Acquisition Corporation, this daughter of Triumphant Caviar won her 2016 debut in the first leg of this series on May 6 at Miami Valley in gate-to-wire fashion in 1:57.4. Handled deftly by Chris Page, this big bay filly won that start by 2-1/2 lengths, pushing her career earnings to $97,616. After winning two OSS legs as a freshman, she was a solid third in the $225,000 OSS final at Scioto Downs last fall.

Consolidator is the sixth and most prolific foal out of the Muscles Yankee mare Muscle Toy 3,1:55.3 ($107,723). Muscle Toy was no slouch as a racehorse — winning among others the $44,000 Hayes Memorial in 1:56.3 as a 2-year-old at Du Quoin in 2003. Consolidator was bred by the Rose Run Farm and sold for $25,000 at the 2014 Ohio Selected Jug Sale. Regular driver Chris Page will be aboard from post six against seven rivals.

Up Front Racing’s Hoorah Hoorah — who was second in her OSS leg one test on May 6 to Kerfuffle Cookie — will be looking for her first victory of the season in four tries. Conditioned by Kelly O’Donnell, this $27,573-winning daughter of Chip Chip Hooray could be a serious threat to Consolidator from the rail with Aaron Merriman driving.

Kim Dailey’s Wegotthechips is another looking to stop Consolidator’s bid at a second victory. This daughter of Deep Chip-Margie Lavec was second to Kandy Krisp in the first leg of this series at Miami Valley. Conditioned by Jim Dailey, Wegotthechips has career earnings of $33,630 and won five starts at two, but has yet to visit the winner’s circle in 2016. She comes into this race fresh off a May 25 victory at Scioto Downs, when she was clocked in a career best 1:58. Peter Wrenn drives from post three.

The second $40,000 OSS division (race nine) features a field of nine sophomore filly trotters, headed up by Kestrel, the 2-year-old Trotting Filly of 2016. She’s drawn the coveted rail slot for trainer/co-owner Chris Beaver and owner Wilbur Lang and will have Aaron Merriman in the sulky. The daughter of Triumphant Caviar won six of seven starts as a freshman, with one second and earnings of $191,650.

The homebred filly was a multiple OSS winner at 2 and finished second by a nose to Count On Kami in the $225,000 final on Super Night last year. Kestrel is the first foal out of the unraced Credit Winner mare Blackrock — herself a half-sister to Pop I (by Andover Hall) 4,1:55.2h ($164,109) and to Swan Princess (by Swan For All) 4,1:57f ($97,052).

Though Kestrel looks much the best of this division, she’ll face strong efforts from the likes of the Chris Beaver-trained Evanora with Josh Sutton driving from post four. A career winner of $75,250, the daughter of Pilgrims Taj won a pair of OSS events last season, but had her issues staying on gait at times. She finished fourth in the first leg of this series on May 6 at Miami Valley.

Buckeye Lady One is another serious threat who’ll go postward with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in the sulky, scoring from the second tier. Trained by Josh Green for Jj&M Stable, Richard Lombardo and Baron Racing Stable, the daughter of Pilgrim’s Taj was second to Consolidator in the first leg of this series and has one win under her belt thus far this season. A winner of $46,973, Buckeye Lady One was bred by Eli Miller and was a $32,000 yearling buy at the 2014 Ohio Selected Jug Sale. She is a half-sister to Jessie’s Song (by Jailhouse Jesse) 4,1:54.2f ($136,576).

OSS leg one winners Kerfuffle Cookie (post two-Chris Page) and Kandy Krisp (post eight-Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) will square off in the third $40,000 OSS division (race 11) that features another nine-horse field of filly contestants.

Chris Beaver trains and co-owns Kerfuffle Cookie along with Synerco Ventures, Inc. A winner of $100,170 to date, the daughter of Chip Chip Hooray won a trio of OSS events as a freshman, and recorded a career mark of 1:57.1 this season at Miami Valley Raceway in a conditioned trot.

Bred by Lmn Bred Stables, Kerfuffle Cookie is the third of five foals out of the unraced Conway Hall mare Minor Skirmish, and was a $20,000 yearling at the 2014 Ohio Selected Jug Sale. She has half-siblings in Allie’s Gift (by Holiday Road) 3,1:57.1h ($55,241) and Special Agent Man (by Federal Flex) 3,Q1:59.1s ($45,037).

Kandy Krisp is conditioned by Kim Sigler for John Stafford and Tucker Baumiller. This winner of $38,656 lifetime has a pair of impressive efforts on her card coming into this OSS division. She won OSS leg one in 1:58.4 by two lengths in an impressive, come-from-behind effort on May 6 at Miami Valley, and followed that up with a 5-1/4 length rally on May 17 in a Northfield Park overnight, stopping the clock in a career best 1:56.4.

A $6,000 yearling purchase at the 2014 Blooded Horse Sale, Kandy Krisp is the fifth of five foals out of the Keystone Nordic mare Kandy’s Lc 3,1:59.4f ($155,893). Her siblings include High Jacked (by Davanti) 5,1:56.4 ($133,810) and Shezalock (by Lockkeeper) 4,1:57.4f ($43,951).

Ohio Sires Stakes action continues on Monday afternoon (May 30) at Scioto Downs with four $40,000 divisions for 3-year-old Ohio-bred pacing fillies. Post time is set for 2 p.m. (EDT).