by Kimberly Rinker, Administrator, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund

Columbus, OH — Ohio Sires Stakes action continues Saturday night (June 4) at Northfield Park with four $40,000 divisions on tap for 3-year-old trotting colts. A total of 28 diagonally-gaited specialists are set to line up behind the Northfield starting gate in the second leg of this series for Buckeye-bred sophomores. Post time is 6 p.m. for the 15-race card.

OSS leg one winners Overdressed (Kurt Sugg) and Lionbacker Kidd (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) square off in the first division (race one).

The former is conditioned and co-owned by trotting guru Marty Wollam, who trains for partners Dale Sweet and G&B Racing. Overdressed, as solid-gaited as they come, has amassed $22,512 this season, with the majority of his earnings coming from that leg one triumph on May 7 at Miami Valley Raceway. His record of 2:00 was a career best, and upped his lifetime earnings to $74,329. Bred by Marvin Raber, the son of Full Count has a 2-1-3 record from 11 lifetime trips postward.

Conrad photo

Lionbacker Kidd (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) won in leg one of the Ohio Sires Stakes on May 7 at Miami Valley in 2:00.2, a career best.

Lionbacker Kidd, who hails from the Joseph Kramp Stable, won his leg one test on May 7 at Miami Valley in 2:00.2, also a career best. Owned by Jeffrey Kidd, this son of Lionhunter has had trouble in the past minding his manners, but despite that has career earnings of $96,073. Bred by John E. Miller, Lionbacker Kidd has a 4-3-0 record from 13 career starts.

The Next Triumph will be looking for just that in OSS division two (race three) with driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. aboard. The bay gelding is trained by Ron Steck, who co-owns the son of Triumphant Caviar in partnership with Robert Smolko and Rene Allard. The Next Triumph won his OSS leg one test on May 7 at Miami Valley in 1:57.2 in a wire-to-wire effort, pushing his seasonal earnings to $27,200 and his career total to $81,006. Bred by the Second Chance Stable, The Next Triumph has a 6-4-2 record from 18 lifetime trips behind the gate.

The Jim Daily-trained Lets Go Bucks was second in leg one of this series to Chips So Fast, but won a Scioto Downs conditioned test on May 18 in a new record clocking of 1:58.4. The altered son of And Away We Go was bred by Benlee Troyer and is owned by Jim Barnett and Tim Homan. A winner of $38,243 in his career from 15 starts (3-2-2), Lets Go Bucks will be driven by Ryan Stahl.

The colorful Mickey Moose could also threaten The Next Triumph if he behaves himself. After making a break in leg one, he rebounded to win a Northfield conditioned trot on May 29 in wire-to-wire style in 2:00.3 with trainer Kurt Sugg at the lines. The $59,857-winning son of Triumphant Caviar has serious ability with a flat mile.

Trainer Chris Beaver will harness OSS leg one winner Chips So Fast from post seven in division three (race five). The Chip Chip Hooray colt polished off his fourth lifetime win with that 1:57.1 triumph at Miami Valley on May 7. Bred by S&R Angelbeck and Midland Acres, Chips So Fast has career totals of $74,134 and seasonal earnings of $37,138 for owners Mark Moger and Albert Delia Jr. Chris Page drives.

Ohio’s 2-year-old Trotting Colt of 2015, MJB Got Faith, hails from post one for new driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. and is still trying to regain the form that made him a freshman champion. A winner of $192,500 at 2, the gelded son of Trainforthefuture was fourth in leg one of this series to Chips So Fast for owner Breana Carsey. MJB Got Faith was bred by the Gbw Breeding Farm and is trained this season by Walter Haynes Sr.

The striking brown colt Kanthaka hails from post six for trainer Chris Beaver and driver Aaron Merriman in the fourth and final division (race eight). Making just his second start of his 3-year-old campaign, the son of Triumphant Caviar was second by a neck to Lionbacker Kidd in OSS leg one on May 7 at Miami Valley. Co-owned by Beaver and breeder Wilbur Lang, Kanthaka earned $140,814 as a freshman.

Owner-trainer Mike Sowers sends out the handsome bay Fantasy League from post four with Chris Page aboard. The winner of $57,439 lifetime nearly went wire-to-wire in OSS leg one, but faltered in the final strides to finish third to Chips So Fast. Fantasy League, a son of And Away We Go, has a 6-3-4 record from 16 career starts. Bill Troyer bred the gelding.