Northfield, OH — Only Take Cash and Pure Chance both captured their respective $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes (OSS) divisions on a tepid Saturday night (June 8) at Northfield Park. Set early in the 16-race card, the two OSS contests for 3-year-old trotting distaffs were the preamble events to the $200,000 Battle Of Lake Erie.

Pure Chance won her Ohio Sire Stakes division by 3-3/4 lengths at Northfield Park on Saturday night. Jeff Zamaiko photo.

Only Take Cash, last year’s 2-year-old Ohio Sires Stake champion, took her division handily in wire-to-wire fashion as the 6-5 favorite in a 1:54.1 with Aaron Merriman at the lines, holding off 7-2 rival Aunt Rose (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) by a half-length at the wire. Ryan Stahl guided 11-1 Wicked Sugar to a third-place finish.

The daughter of Cash Hall is conditioned and co-owned by trainer Robert McIntosh and partners Dave Boyle and Mardon Stables, all of Ontario. She had finished third in the first leg of this series on May 3 at Miami Valley Raceway.

Only Take Cash upped her career earnings to $328,140 lifetime and now has 10 wins in 12 starts. The homebred is the fifth foal out of the Garland Lobell mare Armbro Affair 4, 1:53.4 ($430,997).

Pure Chance and driver Jason Thompson left nothing to chance as they captured the other OSS division with an easy, front-stepping 1:54.2 score. The daughter of Triumphant Caviar left the gate as the 7-1 choice and glided to a 3-3/4 length triumph for trainer Chris Beaver and co-owner Steven Zeehandelar.

Princessofpink, who held up the race for several minutes after returning to the paddock for a shoe repair was a smart second for driver Tony Hall at 9-2 odds, while another Beaver trainee, 8-1 Back Splash, was third for Wrenn.

Pure Chance, who was bred by Jonas Schabach of Ohio, now has $134,745 in her career bankroll, and has earned $37,500 in OSS competition thus far this season. She is out of the Credit Winner mare Jewell Creek and is a full sister to OSS winner Sesame 3, 1:55.1f ($245,227).

Leg Two action continues June 14 at Scioto Downs for 3-year-old pacing fillies and June 15 at Northfield Park for 3-year-old trotting colts. Leg Three for sophomore trotting fillies is slated to commence July 26 at Scioto Downs.