by Kimberly A. Rinker, Administrator, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund

Northfield, OH — Ohio racing fans got their first glimpse of Ohio Sires Stakes youngsters on Friday night (July 3) at Northfield Park as 11 $40,000 divisions for freshman trotting and pacing fillies went postward at the half-mile oval.

The first three divisions featured 2-year-old diagonally-gaited distaffs, which could have been renamed the Aaron Merriman-Chris Beaver show, as this pair dominated all three races.

In the first group of seven fillies Merriman steered favorite Kerfuffle Cookie to victory in 2:00.1 in her first career start, for the Synerco Ventures, Inc., winning by just over 21 lengths. The daughter of Chip Chip Hooray-Minor Skirmish took the lead at the start and never looked back, while Haley Chip (Chris Page) notched second and Transit Authority (Jeremy Smith) got up for third.

“This filly was super tonight,” Merriman stressed. “She has a very soft mouth and Chris (trainer Beaver) had her ready to go.”

Aaron Merriman guided Evanora to victory in a career best 2:01.

The second race, second OSS division saw Merriman use similar tactics to guide Evanora to victory in a career best 2:01 by 6-1/4 lengths. The chestnut daughter of Pilgrims Taj-Nessa Rose is owned by Sandra Burnett and this was her second straight triumph, pushing her career earnings to $21,550. Oneeyedmomma (Marty Wollam) finished second with Count On Anna (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) third.

Merriman and Beaver were in the winner’s circle once more for race three, the third division of trotting fillies. This time Kestrel (Triumphant Caviar-Blackrock) reeled through the double-turns, notching a 1:59 performance for Merriman, drawing off by five lengths. It was the filly’s first career win for owners Beaver and Wilbur Lang. Hoorah Hoorah (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was second while A TC Queenie (Ken Holliday) grabbed third-place honors.

Merriman then scored in the fourth OSS trotting division (race five), guiding the Dirk Simpson trained Shut Up And Dance to a win in a new track record clocking of 1:58. The daughter of Triumphant Caviar-Passport To Love is owned by James Bafia and earned her first paycheck in the one mile test, which she won by four lengths.

“We bought her at the Ohio Select Sale for $28,000,” Bafia said. “I thought she had a great pedigree and she showed a lot of potential early but had an OCD that we removed. She was able to train down well in spite of that surgery, and has gotten up to speed very quickly.”

Count On Kami (Kurt Sugg) was second to Shut Up And Dance, while favorite Soft Power (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) notched third.

The final OSS division for filly trotters (race 14) saw Still Sizzling heat up the racetrack by going gate-to-wire for trainer-driver Dale Decker, winning by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:59.4. The Trainforthefuture-Spotty Too Hotty lass pushed her career earnings to $21,516 for owners Decker and Douglas Vandergrift. She Drives Me Wild (Aaron Merriman) finished second with Rose Run Rachel (Kurt Sugg) nabbing show honors.

Filly pacers took to the track beginning with the fourth race on the evening’s 15-race program. Big Bad Ashley and driver Dan Noble left nothing to chance as they paced to a winning 1:56 effort in the first $40,000 OSS division. The daughter of Big Bad John-Cruise On Ashley is conditioned by Jim Arledge Jr. for the Winchester Baye Acres, Inc. and was three-quarters of a length in front of Hooray For Hazel (Chris Page) at the wire, while NPR Nine (Aaron Merriman) finished third.

Kayne Kauffman piloted Awakening to victory in the second OSS division (race six), clocked in 1:57 for the one mile test. Mike Polhamus harnessed the daughter of Feelin Friskie-Sidewalk Sleeper for owner Marjorie Polhamus. It was the filly’s third career start and pushed her earnings to $23,076. Kacy’s Coop (Aaron Merriman) was second, nearly two lengths behind the winner, while Feelin Lilly (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) was third.

John’s Sunny Girl, a daughter of Big Bad John-Sunshine State, captured the third OSS division (race seven) for driver Greg Grismore in a new lifetime best clocking of 1:55.4. Doug Hinklin conditions the bay filly, who upped her career earnings to $24,400 for the Parent Racing Stable LLC.

“She’s done everything we’ve asked of her to date and for the rest of the season it’s just a matter of her staying healthy,” Grismore acknowledged. “Doug (trainer Hinklin) has done a great job of giving this filly the right education. I was just a passenger tonight.”

Bred by Midland Acres, John’s Sunny Girl bested rival Beauteous Girl (Kurt Sugg) by eight lengths, while Miss Me Yet (Montrell Teague), who had made a break early, recovered well to be third.

JJ Zamaiko photos

My Tweed Heart was a 1:59.1 OSS winner for Tye Loy.

Owner-trainer-driver Tye Loy stole the show in the fourth OSS division (race nine) as he guided his My Tweed Heart to a 1:59.1 triumph. This daughter of Manhardt-Tweedle D finished 1-1/4 lengths in front of It’s Your Fantasy (Dan Noble) and Big Bad Body (Josh Sutton) in her career debut.

Queen Ann M and driver Chris Page took the fifth OSS division in 1:56.4 by 2-1/2 lengths for owner Alan Keith. The Big Bad John-Full Fledged lass used come-from-behind tactics to score in her career debut over Northfield’s flying turns, with Ufpfortydevensgirl (Aaron Merriman) finishing in the bridesmaid role and Friskie Zena (Tye Loy) nabbing third place money.

The sixth and final division (race 15) of freshman pacing fillies saw Big Bad Bretta, another daughter of Big Bad John-CC Biggirl Bretta, finish under the wire first in 1:57 for driver Chris Page by nearly three lengths. Steve Carter conditions the filly for Chuck Grubbs, Robert Reid, Sheila Hummel and Jacob Beard. Big Bad Chickie (Dan Noble) grabbed place honors while Save My Tootsie (Aaron Merriman) was third.

Daylon Magician captured the $170,000 Cleveland Trotting Classic (race 11) for trainer-driver Jack Moiseyev in a track-record-tying time of 1:53.2. The rugged 7-year-old son of Kadabra pushed his career earnings up near the $2 million mark with this victory, the 31st of his career in 71 starts for the Daylon Farms LTD.

“He felt like a 3-year-old in here tonight,” Moiseyev said. “He just felt great, and this is the first time I’ve been back to Northfield since 1991.”

Moiseyev had driven Precious Bunny to victory at Northfield that season in the Cleveland Classic.

Obrigado (Mark McDonald) was second by a whisker, while DW’s NY Yank (Chris Page) got up for third and Rompaway Galaxy (Mike Micallef) was fourth.

Also, the gutsy mare Victory Is Coming chugged out a rough, first-over journey to prevail at the wire in 1:53.2 for a new all-age track record in Northfield’s $20,000 Open Trot (race 10). The daughter of Victory Sam, who is conditioned by Ammon Hershberger for Betty and John Red Shaw, OH, pushed her career earnings to $609,935 with the win, the 55th of her career in 130 starts. Picture This (Don Irvine Jr.) was second with Julians Caesar (Chris Page) third.