Lebanon, OH — The 2021 Ohio Sires Stakes season got off to a sizzling start on a sunny and breezy Sunday afternoon (May 2) at Miami Valley Raceway.

Summer Touch was back to business on Sunday at Miami Valley Raceway, scoring a 1:53.1 victory in the first Ohio Sires Stakes event of the season. Conrad Photo.

Defending Ohio Sires Stakes champion Summer Touch won the second $50,000 division for 3-year-old pacing fillies, scoring at even money in 1:53.1 with Chris Page at the controls with a front-end effort. The Ron Burke trainee finished 2-1/2 lengths ahead of Leave Her Wild (Mike Wilder), with Rainy Day Chic (Andy Shetler) nabbing third. The daughter of Well Said and Real Touch is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Slaughter Racing and Weaver Bruscemi, and has earned $323,000 lifetime.

In the first pacing division, favorite Lady Arthur stole the show for trainer and co-owner Dr. Ian Moore. The homebred daughter of Arthur Blue Chip and April Three used front-stepping tactics to nail down her second triumph of the season in 1:53.3 with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. at the lines. Lady Arthur finished two lengths in front of 11-1 rival She Knows It All (Brett Miller), with Bab’s Jansen (Kayne Kauffman) half a length back in third. She now has $110,000 in her career coffers for Moore, the RG McGroup and Serge Savard.

The lone $60,000 trotting division saw Wrenn back in the winner’s circle — this time with Burke trainee Celebrate With Me (4-1), who got the garden trip before scoring in 1:54.2 by a half length over Katie’s Lucky Day (Trevor Smith), while Aaron Merriman brought 16-1 long shot Ozma up for third. Celebrate With Me, a daughter of Full Count and Glisten Hanover with $202,472 in lifetime earnings, was bred by Marvin Raber and is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Howard Taylor, Weaver Bruscemi and Knox Services.

Ohio Sires Stakes continue Monday (May 3) at Miami Valley Raceway, with four divisions of 3-year-old colts and geldings scheduled. Post time is 2:05 p.m. ET.