by Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator

Columbus, OH — A trio of $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes will be contested Saturday night (Aug. 11) at Northfield Park, in the final round of the four-leg series for 3-year-old pacing fillies.

The winners of these three divisions will likely define the field for the $275,000 championship, set for Saturday (Sept. 8) at Scioto Downs. The nine fillies with the highest number of points are eligible to enter the championship, however entry is not automatic, and a horse must be entered into the championship to be named a starter.

Currently, Smiley Dragon sits atop the OSS standings with 115 points and $44,480 earned from one third and two victories in the first three legs. McPansy sits a close second with 108 points and $42,000 in OSS money from two wins and a fifth. Bad Girls Rule and Prsntpretynperfect are tied for third with 103 points each, with leg one winner Up Front Flor Ida next with 70 points, followed by leg one winner Pet Walker (64 points); Baron Remy (52 points); leg three winner Kay Again (51 points); and Believe In Waco (40 points).

Fillies eligible to the Ohio Sires Stakes must be sired by a stallion standing in the state of Ohio and registered with the Ohio State Racing Commission during the year of conception. Farm owners, breeders and racehorse investors plunk down thousands of dollars annually in the Buckeye State to breed, raise and purchase Ohio-breds for a shot to race in the rich Ohio Sires Stakes program.

Ohio-based stallions with progeny represented in this trio of OSS contests on Saturday night include Dragon Again and McArdle (four fillies each); Yankee Cruiser (three fillies); Big Bad John, Pet Rock and Woodstock (two fillies each); and Art Official, Believeinbruiser, Manhardt, Shark Gesture, Three Olives and World Of Rocknroll (one filly each).

Conrad photo

Smiley Dragon sits atop the OSS standings with 115 points.

Smiley Dragon, a Dragon Again filly owned and bred by Emerald Highlands Farm of Mount Vernon, Ohio, starts from post five in the first OSS division (race three). This $46,780-winning lass has captured OSS legs two (in 1:52.4) and three (in 1:52.3), after finishing third in leg one. Ronnie Wrenn Jr. drives the brown homebred.

Kay Again will be trying for her second OSS victory, having won a leg three division at Scioto Downs on July 14 in 1:52.2 with Tony Hall driving for trainer Mike Roth. This Dragon Again filly has career earnings of $133,470 and seasonal earnings of $91,780 for breeder/owner Alan Keith of Johnstown, Ohio.

Kimberly Dailey bridles up leg one winner Bad Girls Rule in the second OSS division (race six) for the 3rd Floors Stables of Springboro, Ohio. This World Of Rocknroll filly was clocked in 1:54.1 at Miami Valley in leg one, and since finished a smart second in both the second and third OSS legs. Bred by Spring Haven Farm, Bad Girls Rule has $235,046 in career earnings and $53,230 garnered this season. David Miller will pilot the bay lass from post three.

Up Front Flor Ida is a daughter of Woodstock conditioned by Tim McKoy for Kevin McKinney and Virginia McKoy who stats from post five in the third OSS contest (race nine). She won a leg one division in 1:53.1 at Miami Valley, before finishing fifth in leg two and third in leg three. Bred by Ed Mullinax, Up Front Flor Ida has $96,298 in career earnings and $80,774 amassed in 2018 thus far. Kayne Kauffman drives.

The $400,000 Carl Milstein Memorial, an open invitational for 3-year-old pacers carded as race 11, will feature North America Cup winner and Ohio Sires Stakes winner Lather Up, among others. This Ohio-bred son of I’m Gorgeous, who is trained by Clyde Francis for breeders/owners Gary and Barbara Iles of Harrington, Del., will have Montrell Teague in the sulky from post two. Lather Up, with $574,465 in his coffers, looks well poised for another huge effort, and is scheduled to race on Aug. 18 at Scioto Downs, in leg four of the Ohio Sires Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts.

Always A Prince, an Ohio-bred son of Always A Virgin bred by Emerald Highlands Farm and owned by Carl and Melanie Atley of Xenia, Ohio, starts from post eight in the Milstein Memorial, for trainer Tyler George. This sophomore gelding will have Trace Tetrick in the sulky.

Springsteen and Dorsoduro Hanover are two other Milstein starters with Ohio connections. Powell, Ohio-resident Bruce Soulsby shares ownership in Springsteen, a $522,048-earning and New York Sire Stake-winning son of Rock N Roll Heaven; while Wingfield Five of Kenton, Ohio, owns a share of the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Dorsoduro Hanover, a winner of $575,603 in his career, including the $400,000 Adios final at The Meadows on July 28.