by Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator

Columbus, OH — A pair of $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes for 3-year-old trotting fillies will be contested Friday night (July 13) at Scioto Downs. Thirteen lucky Buckeye-bred distaffers will line up behind the starting gate in races one and three in round three of the four-leg series, with a first race post time of 6:30 p.m. (EDT).

Of the 13 diagonally-gaited specialists, three each have been sired by Ohio-based stallions Manofmanymissions and My MVP, while Break The Bank K and Stormin Normand are represented by two foals each. Dontyouforgetit, Full Count and Triumphant Caviar each have one foal competing.

The second OSS division (race three) is the most competitive, with four previous OSS winners returning.

Conrad photo

Non Smoker has amassed $77,161 lifetime from 13 career starts.

Looking like the one to beat from post two is the lovely grey filly Non Smoker, a My MVP lass conditioned and driven by Danny Noble for Norman Rae Racing. Though dainty in stature but seemingly indefatigable, Non Smoker has won both of her previous OSS legs (on May 4 at Miami Valley in 1:54 and on June 11 at Northfield Park in a dead-heat with California Love in 1:56.2). Bred by Stephanie Smith-Rothaug, Non Smoker has amassed $77,161 lifetime from five wins, one second and one third from 13 career starts.

Red Storm, a multiple OSS winner at two with career earnings of $181,935, captured leg one of this series on May 4 at Miami Valley in 1:55.2, over the gutsy Impinktoo. She then finished third in leg two at Northfield when the aforementioned Non Smoker and California Love dead-heated for victory, beaten just three-quarters of a length that night. Owned and bred by Sandra Burnett and conditioned by Chris Beaver, this chestnut daughter of Stormin Normand won both her $15,000 Hackett elimination and $40,000 final at Miami Valley in April of this year. She’ll start from post six with Aaron Merriman at the controls.

Beaver will also harness California Love for partners Steve Zeehandelar, Marion Beachy and Moger-Delia Racing. A winner of $98,752 in her career, the daughter of Stormin Normand has eight wins, three seconds and two thirds in 21 starts for these connections, including four triumphs this season. Marion Beachy bred this filly, who starts from post seven with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. at the lines.

Spunky Bottom Girl, the pride of owner Ed Teefey, starts from post four with Tyler Smith in the sulky for trainer Brent Davis. Smith guided the My MVP lass to a sparkling 1:55.4 triumph in leg two of this series on June 11 at Northfield Park, after finishing a disappointing sixth in leg one. A winner of $58,475 lifetime from four wins and four seconds in 19 starts, Spunky Bottom Girl was named after a local bluegrass band in Teefey’s hometown of Mount Sterling, Ill.

Last season’s 2-year-old OSS final winner, Impinktoo, a Manofmanymissions lass trained by Ron Burke, has finished second in both OSS legs to date for the trio of Joe McLead, Billy Walters and Rtk Racing. A winner of $205,290, Impinktoo has four wins, four seconds and a third in 19 career starts. She was bred by Jay Mossbarger and gets Kayne Kauffman in the bike from post five.

OSS division one (race one) features an evenly-matched field of six fillies, including Looking For Zelda, a homebred owned by Robert Key. Conditioned by Norm Parker, this Break The Bank K daughter is the richest of these OSS-eligible fillies, with $275,902 in her coffers. She was fourth and third, respectively, in her previous two OSS outings this season and was a multiple winner in this series in 2017. She’ll have regular pilot Tony Hall driving from post five.

If form means anything, than Dashanay certainly bears a nod, leaving from the rail for trainer Ron Burke and driver Chris Page. Sired by Manofmanymissions, Dashanay has won her last two starts, both Scioto Downs overnights, after finishing fifth in OSS leg two on July 11 at Northfield. Her last effort at Scioto saw her clocked in a healthy 1:55.3. Owned by Burke Racing Stable and bred by Michael Parisi, Dashanay has $59,600 in her bankroll.