by Anne Doolin, for Scioto Downs

Columbus, OH — Ohio-bred 2 and 3-year-olds put on a show in their respective $100,000 Ohio Sires Stakes Championship Finals on Saturday night (September 9) at Scioto Downs, as they shared the stage with sophomore pacing colts in the $210,000 Jug Preview on $1 Million Ohio Super Night.

The Ohio-bred youngsters featured a mix of upsets and favorites, and one youngster’s undefeated streak came to a disappointing end.

Don’t Blame Her set a track record of 1:51.3 in the 3-year-old filly pace.

Don’t Blame Her sizzled to a new track record of 1:51.3 in the 3-year-old filly pace for Scioto’s leading trainer Virgil Morgan, Jr. and leading driver Brett Miller. It was the fourth consecutive victory, and the eighth in 15 lifetime starts for the Village Connection filly, owned by the Matt-E-Mike Stable of Gallipolis, Ohio. Don’t Blame Her scored by two and a quarter lenghts over Sand Calady, with Jack’s Magic Jewel third.

“He (Virgil) said he had her ready — he wasn’t kidding,” said Miller, who on Thursday notched his 4,000th career driving victory. “She hit the three-quarter pole and she was still running through the bridle.”

Osborne’s Gypsy, the latest in a long line of nice horses for owner Jerome Osborne of Mentor, Ohio, kicked off the eight Sires Stake finals with a front-end victory in the 2-year-old filly pace. The daughter of On The Attack, who was five-for-six coming into the final, scored by a comfortable five and a half lengths in 1:54.3. Greg Grismore drove for trainer Eric Hamlet. She gave her dam Myopia’s Mop a triple in OSS Finals.

“I told Eric not to buy any fillies last year,” laughed Osborne, who said he paid $20,000 for the filly. “I guess it’s a good thing he didn’t listen to me. She’s something else — she’s been absolutely super.”

Hamlet said Osborne actually gave him pretty broad leeway in yearling purchases.

“We had her brothers, Osborne’s Trick and Osborne’s Bullet. They both won their Sires Stakes finals as 2-year-olds, too.”

Midnight Hooray and Jay Cross took the 2-year-old filly trot in 1:58.4 over Miss Snippy Queen by two and three-quarter lengths. A daughter by first crop sire Chip Chip Hooray, Midnight Hooray is trained by Joe Essig for Don Breeze and Patrick Sibler. The pair have had horses in partnership for two decades and say this filly is their best to date.

“I was figuring on a speed duel up front,” said Cross. “I had to come first up, but she was fine with that. In that last turn, we had plenty of trot.”

Hank Kauffman and Mike Medors’ KF St Patrick, a perfect six-for-six in his young career, was nailed on the wire in the 2-year-old colt pace by Noble Falcon and Brett Miller. Driver Russell Swartz had to use KF St Patrick hard to gain the lead, and led the field through the first three-quarters in 1:25.3. Miller and Noble Falcon were sitting in second, and were among several that surged late.

“Not to take anything away from my colt, he’s a nice one, but I’m surprised we won,” said Miller. “Mike Medors’ colt (KF St Patrick) is exceptional. It was tight getting through in there, but my colt was game.”

The margin was a mere head, with Lovers Concerto also right there.

“He’s been first or second every time except the time he ran — and he was hitting the racebike that night,” said trainer Delvin Criswell, who was winning his first OSS final. “He’s been an easy horse to train. He’s game.”

Ima Spur ran off and hid from the field after taking control after the first quarter in the 2-year-old colt trot, scoring by seven and a half lengths in 1:58 with driver/trainer Marty Wollam in the bike for owner Bob Troyer of Middlefield, Ohio. The son of Pegasus Spur is now seven-for-11.

“When you train them and have them do this good, it’s a tremendous feeling,” said Wollam. “His last couple of starts, he’s really started to show something. He ran most of the winter (training down) running, but when he started trotting, he showed ability.”

Scioto Downs/Conrad Photos

Ilikestephanie notched a 1:56 score in the 3-year-old filly trot.

Ilikestephanie, leaving from the outside post position, took advantage of a break by 2-5 favorite Buck I St Pat to notch a 1:56 score in the 3-year-old filly trot. The daughter of Ilooklikemymom, owned by Barbara and Bill Paull of Powell, Ohio, is now seven-for-11 this season. Butterscotchndaleys was second and Spur-Ann-E third.

“There were a lot of leavers in there,” said driver/trainer Ray Paver. “I saw Dave make a break and decided to leave on out of there. She was pretty comfortable throughout there. Didn’t know where the rest of the field was, just kept her rolling.”

Driver/trainer Steve Carter notched a popular victory with Psilvuheartbreaker in the 3-year-old colt pace, scoring by four and a half lengths over Osborne’s Bullet in 1:55.3. Racing as a homebred for Carter and his mother Peggy, the son of Nobleland Sam roared up from off the pace to win his 15th start in 18 outings this season.

Ohio stalwart driver/trainer Dave Rankin took the OSS finale with Master Pine in the 3-year-old colt trot, and said in the winner’s circle that it would be his swan song.

“I’m going to give up driving after this year,” he said.

Master Pine, a son of Master Lavec, was winning for the 11th time in 19 starts. He stopped the timer in 1:58.1, coming from off the pace to score over Pure Jesse.